


Claw in Time

by BlindedKnight



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Dragons, F/M, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-09-13 06:56:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 35,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9111511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlindedKnight/pseuds/BlindedKnight
Summary: The voice was softer this time as it spoke, it clearly came from something large and the walls echoed it very easily, “What is your name?”She swallowed and breathed before opening her eyes seeing that there were two very large bluish-grey reptile-like eyes looking at her from deep in the darkness which caused her to gasp and stumble over her answer, “C-clara.”“Are you afraid Clara?”She was unsure if she should lie as it was her first, and possibly her last, encounter with a dragon and decided to tell the truth, “yes.”





	1. Chapter 1

Clara had always known what she wanted in life, at least she thought she had before the royal guard had taken her away from her family and home telling her she had been destined to do a task for the king. As she was not told of what task she was to do but only made the assumption that she was to bed with the king and birth him an heir as the queen had died during childbirth to the prince who had lived a fruitful life till it was cut short due in battle a few days ago.

Distracted by the inside of the lavish carriage for a decent amount of time, the gold trim and velvet curtains were something she could only dream about, she looked passed the curtains and realized the carriage's destination was not for the castle but somewhere outside the lands. Looking across to the guard in front of her she noticed his eyes looking at her with sadness. “Where are we going?”

“To fulfill the task ordered by the King.”

She nodded knowing that already but sternly looked to the guard needing a proper answer, “If you're taking me to birth him an heir shouldn't we be going to the castle?”

The guard sighed, shaking his head as he looked down, “I am sorry miss but that is not the task, I am sorry.”

“Can you at least tell me where we are going?”

Frowning and looking back up to her as it looked very apparent that he was upset with what he was doing, “It would be better if I did not but you will know soon enough.”

Clara frowned and looked out the window to the passing country side, she knew now that whatever she was to do could take her life and she wasn't ready. As noon turned into late-afternoon she looked to the small mountain containing the ruins of another castle of time past. It was fabled that one of the last remaining dragons lived there, having destroyed the evil tyrant and claimed the land for its own and in times of need, due to famine, drought or mass illness, sacrifices were sent as payment for the dragons services to bring a miracle and fix the problem. Clara had never seen this so called dragon and thought it was just a tale to scare children but as the carriage turned onto the path to the mountain she started to rethink if the tale was true or not.

The guard firmly spoke as the carriage stopped, “We're here, come with me please and don't run.”

She slowly nodded following the guard out of the carriage and into the ruins walking into what was the grand chamber and towards a pole staked into the ground. Words weren't spoken as he tied and chained her to the pole as she faced the darkness in front of her. The guard walked a few paces forward now visibly shaking and stumbling over his words as he yelled out towards the darkness, “K-ing – k-king Arcas, son - son of Raw - rawlin ruler of the realm of Brevaria commands you – commands, oh gods, to bring his son b-back, back to life.”

As soon as the guard finished a deep long growl was heard before a very loud, echoing and sharp Scottish brogue started, “Commands?!”

“I-I, oh gods don't eat me,” the guard started to walk backwards almost bumping into Clara still tied to the stake, “only following orders and it's his son!”

“Leave human.”

Clara turned as much as she could to watch the guard rush off stumbling on the rocks and fallen walls of the castle as he tried to leave. Closing her eyes she turned back around facing towards the darkness praying to the gods that she would get out of this unscathed.

The voice was softer this time as it spoke, it clearly came from something large and the walls echoed it very easily, “What is your name?”

She swallowed and breathed before opening her eyes seeing that there were two very large bluish-grey reptile-like eyes looking at her from deep in the darkness which caused her to gasp and stumble over her answer, “C-clara.”

“Are you afraid Clara?”

She was unsure if she should lie as it was her first, and possibly her last, encounter with a dragon and decided to tell the truth, “yes.”

The eyes widened slightly, in surprise or curiosity of her answer, “Do you know why you're here?”

“I am a sacrifice, I think. That's what the stories say.”

“Do you know what I do to these so called sacrifices?”

“Eat them?”

A thunderous roar that turned to sounding like laughter had bellowed out almost deafening her, this evidently had been his first conversation between him and the sacrifices before her, apparent by his response. He settled with the lid of his eyes lowering more as if he was calm or amused with her now and a with a huff that sent a decent gust of wind against her he spoke once again, “I could of course eat you for nourishment but to spend energy to carry out these wishes of the king I must absorb it, otherwise I am just a silly old dragon who eats people. I send a person to the past to live out their lives, repentance for their crimes, and by doing so leaves a wake of energy of a persons remaining life that I feed off of and use.”

Clara's eyes went wide, she wasn't going to die but was curious his explanation, “Why are you telling me this?”

“I am not a cruel dragon and there lies a problem with this recent,” he emphasized and hissed the next word as it was apparent he disliked being commanded, “ _request_ of your foolish king, I can not bring back the dead. So in turn I will not be sending you back in time and feast on your energy.”

Starting to laugh a bit nervously as the realization that she really was not going to die sunk in, “So I can go back home?”

“Yes but you must deliver a letter to your King.”

“Why can't you?”

The sound of a smile inflected on his voice showed once again his amusement of her questions, “I would not fit in that small castle of his, even though he likes to make it seem larger than it is.”

“Oh, right.”

She was surprised as a high pitched chirp sounded unlocking the chains around her and with the guards poor tying of the rope was able to get free.

“As you walk out of the ruins there will be a scroll for you to take, you must go directly to the king and no where else.”

Clara looked back as the eyes started to disappear back into the darkness, “May I see how you look? I've never seen a dragon before.”

“For another time.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments!

Clara was frustrated as she had to walk most of the way before being picked up by a local farmer heading into the kingdom walls the next day. She was tired but the dragon had insisted she go to the king straight away and she was unsure what would happen if she were to go home knowing that everyone was expecting her to be gone.

It was with coincidence she found the same guard that had intended to usher her to her death that then ushered her inside the castle with haste and a look of doom on his face. She stood and waited outside the main chamber door as the guard announced her presence and explained to the king as what had happened.

King Arcas screamed out as he couldn't believe what he was just told, “It what?!”

“T-the dragon didn't eat her Sire, sent her back with a message.”

“I can not believe this. Send her in.”

Clara suddenly felt like she should have gone back home to freshen up from walking and being in a cart that had had manure in it. She walked in as the guard opened the door and motioned her in, being more nervous now facing the King than the dragon she had encountered, walking past other guards and members of the court before stopping before the king, bowing and keeping her eyes lowered as she clutched the scroll tightly. She had seen the king only a few times, a portly man who was turning into his elder years along with a known anger as those years wore on.

A sigh was heard as he regained a calm composure before he spoke, “Do you know how to read my dear?”

She nodded, “Y-yes my King.”

“Read it then.”

Clara unrolled the parchment and started to personally read over the very intricate yet readable script to see what it said before she actually read it to the king to which she saw the personal message at the top in surprise _'To Clara, you can either read this as it is wrote or not, your choice.'_ She looked over the remainder of the scroll, her eyes wide of what was wrote lowering the scroll looking to the king as he furiously glared towards her impatiently, “I-I can't read this...”

King Arcas furrowed his greying black eyebrows, “But you said you could read.”

“Yes but he offends you with the very first words my lord.”

The king huffed, pursing his lips as he thought for a few moments and then waved his hand, “I will take no offense from you as it his script.”

“My pompous fool of a king,” she glanced up seeing the anger starting to stew in him, “I send this letter, that I know will be read by the female you sent to sacrifice, to inform you that your sons death is a fixed point in time and can not be changed no matter how many people you send me be they thieves, killers or virgins. Trust me, not even the people in the year ten-thousand can resurrect the dead with the tools of their time. You must live with his death.”

His fists banged against the wooden arms of his throne multiple times as he screamed, “NO! This is outrageous!” It was clear that the King did not like the answer as he looked to her with a deep look of hatred and anger he spat towards a guard, “Kill her maybe we can appease another deity.”

A voice suddenly arose that caused everyone to gasp and start to look around, “Such a pudding brain.”

“Who said that?!” King Arcas stood looking around to find the face to the unfamiliar voice in the small crowd, “How dare you address me in that manner!”

A tall gaunt male with short curls of grey, wearing odd style clothing but it was very much red velvet for the top with a white shirt underneath and black trousers, stepped out surprising the small group he had been near, “So desperate that thinking that killing an innocent will give another their life back.”

Clara looked to the man as he walked up next to her, the voice sounded familiar but she could not place her finger on it. As he glanced to her she looked to his eyes, for they looked like any mans eyes except for its bluish-grey hue, something else that struck her as familiar.

King Arcas glared, who was this man who challenged him? “It hasn't stopped me before to bring the plants life once again or save my kingdom from suffering, why should it be any different with my son?!”

“Because those deeds do not destroy the universe! Plus to send me a girl that has done no crime? Pathetic.”

The king straightened up slightly from his defensive stance, his mind quickly going over what this soon to be dead man had said. “Y-you're the dragon?!” Gasps came from everyone in the room including Clara who had quickly covered her mouth in addition to her surprise.

“You will call me the Doctor.”

“What?”

“I'd prefer the name Doctor as a human trying to pronounce my true name would be embarrassing and calling me dragon is just rude.”

The king returned to his angered glare towards the Doctor, “You will make my son live again!”

The Doctor furrowed his brow shouting back towards him, the walls echoed the now loud booming voice coming from the thin frame, “I will not! As you will never command someone that will not and never be commanded!”

King Arcas stood in surprise from the volume that came forth from the man who claimed to be a dragon then he tilted his head slightly as a thought came to being, “Tell me do dragons bleed?”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes towards the king clearly knowing what the king had in mind, “Yes.”

“Then you will join the female in death.”

The Doctor looked to Clara with a soft smile before quickly grasping onto her hand pulling her towards the exit, “Run!”

“GUARDS!”

Clara screamed as she was almost dragged along at first before her feet finally firmly started to run along side this man, a dragon who was a man, as they ran from the kings guard and to the outside. How could a large dragon become such a small, well tall human, there were so many questions in her head along with the pounding of her heart in her ears that all she could do was keep running.

The Doctor could hear the sound of archers being set up behind them, if he was in his normal form they would do no harm but sadly as a human he gained some of their weaknesses which included no natural armor. He couldn't change especially with Clara beside him holding his hand, she could get hurt. Quickly he turned grabbing hold of her shoulders looking to her with the guards rushing to catch up to them, “Clara don't be scared on what I have to do.” Clara panted and looked to him in confusion but nodded. “Keep running please.”

Clara did what she was told and continued to run towards the gate of the kingdom walls till she heard a loud roar that shook everything causing her to lose her balance for a moment. She turned to look towards the massive bluish creature, that seemed to glisten like a jewel, where the Doctor had been. He was like the dragon imagery she had seen as a child but the pictures didn't do what she was seeing justice, as all four of his clawed feet dug into the ground as he beat his extended wings downward causing a massive gust of wind to knock the soldiers backwards.

The Doctor roared then splayed his wings out watching the guards and archers, who had fruitlessly tried to injure him with their weapons in panic from watching a man turn into a dragon, run back to the safety of the castle along with most of the townsfolk. Slowly turning around, as he did not want to cause anymore damage than deaf ears on soldiers, he looked around to find the hopefully still running Clara. Failing to spot her anywhere near the gate he looked closer to himself finding her on the ground having been hit by a stray arrow. He quickly picked her up with one of his front claws and lifted off, clutching her close to him as he flew back to his domain.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor will explain how he changes etc later down the line if you're curious.


	3. Chapter 3

Clara was in a daze as she leaned against a smooth white wall as she stopped from running, she didn't know where she was or what had happened but she knew there was a sharp pain in her side and for whatever reason she had to keep running. Catching her breath she looked up noticing there was no ceiling blocking the starlit sky up above but as she looked closer there was no moon as well but a very large and bright yellow star shining off to the distance. Fear started to build as she realized too that the stars were moving curiously. The Doctors voice echoed oddly behind her causing her to turn seeing him walk up and catching her just as she started to lose the ability to stand feeling his fingers softly grace her face towards her temple as he spoke softly, “Sleep my dear.”

 

\------------------------------

 

Clara's eyes shot open looking to the torch lit rocky ceiling above her, her mind kept saying it had been a dream but it had felt real, very real. She sat up slowly the pain in her side still there from the dream but as she went to look at her injury she saw she was in a lavish bed and nightgown. She felt at the very soft and smooth duvet covering her and she hoped she wasn't dreaming now as this could be something she could live with for eternity.

The Doctors voice sudden came around echoing slightly in the room, “I hope the bed is to your liking, I don't exactly sleep on them.”

Startled she looked up towards where the voice was as he stood at the doorway, his hands leisurely behind his back, she looked back to the bed looking at it, “far better than what I've slept on, this is something that the king would only have.”

He smiled and nodded, “Quite. How are you feeling by the way?”

“My side is sore and confused why I'm here.”

The Doctor smirked, “As I was trying to persuade the guards to run back to cover that I can only guess an arrow fell astray into you and I took you away so I could tend to your wound.” Frowning as he thought about the moment, “I do hope you forgive me for the incident I never wanted to have harm come to you.”

Clara went to look back up but her eyes noticed that it was not an empty room and that it was filled with trinkets and treasures, some old and some she couldn't even think to understand, “W-whats all this stuff?”

“Part of my hoard, gold, odds and ends from my travels.” He casually pointed around looking to all the baubles in the area, “This is just one room by the way.”

She looked over to the nightstand looking to what looked like a glass figure in dancing pose standing on a pedestal but when it then suddenly flickered her eyes widened and pick it up looking at it closer, “I've never seen anything like this.”

“And sadly you won't. That's from the year 4125.” He smiled as he watched her intently look to the holographic statue that was starting to show its age for how long he had had it in his possession.

She gasped as it flickered once more, “4125? That's impossible.”

“I am a type of dragon that can command time, traveling to other parts of time when I can. So it is very possible.” He finally walked into the room taking one of the empty chairs and moved to next to the bed and sat down.

Carefully placing the base back down she looked to him, “Speaking of travel, why the hell did you make me read that scroll when you were going to be there in the end?”

“It was the first time I had sent someone back and especially for what the guard had repeated I wanted to make sure of your well being. It's always hard to lose a child.” Pausing for a moment he looked away and sighed as if he was lost in thought but then smirked looking at her directly once again, “I was also curious if a peasant woman would stand up to a king.”

Clara looked to him in curiosity, how could reading a parchment directed to a king be considered a rebellion? “I only read what you wrote.”

“You could have changed the words even after telling the king that I wrote insults.”

“So what's going to happen?”

“Once you are well I will take you somewhere safe.” He frowned as he started to speak the bad news, “you can not go home especially if the King is adamant on sacrificing you.”

“But I'm safe here.”

He shook his head, “No I brought you here as an emergency as I was not going to let you die because someone could not live with letting go.”

Clara frowned,“Why can't I stay here?”

“Because it's not wise.”

“You seem like a nice man.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and stood up, putting the chair back to where it had been before looking back to her, “Are your brains so forgetful now that I need to remind you of the fact that just yesterday I talked to you as a colossal dragon while you were chained up like meat on a skewer? I am not human.”

“Why save me? You could have let me die, maybe it was my time like the prince's.”

“Because it was my involvement that caused harm.” He frowned as he watched her try to get out of bed clearly wincing in pain, “Please stay in bed the wound hasn't healed.”

Clara huffed and settled back into the bed, “Could you tell me something?”

“Anything.”

“I had a dream where the stars moved and you were there telling me to sleep. Was that real?”

He stood there for a few moments looking to her without any flinch of his features, “no you were delirious with fever. Had to put you into a slumber so you wouldn't cause more harm to yourself, it was only a dream.”

 _It was only a dream._ The words repeated in her mind like she had heard them before causing her to stare as she focused on the words until the Doctors voice woke her from her daze once more, “I'm sorry what was that?”

The Doctor knelt next to her with a concerned look on his face, “Are you alright?”

She nodded, “yes, sorry, I must be tired still.”

He nodded, “get some rest.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor had tended to Clara as he made her rest, bringing her foods that looked awkward but were surprisingly edible. After a few days of his care Clara felt well enough to ignore his demands for her to stay in bed. The curiosity to explore the remainder of what looked like a cave demanded her attention. As soon as her feet touched the smooth ice cold surface of the floor a shiver of cold went up her spine chilling her. As her feet grew accustomed to the coolness she cautiously walked to the door, which was only a frame with no door hung to it, and peered out looking down the hall seeing paintings and lit sconces on the walls. She looked down the other way of the hall, trying to decide which way she should go. Her mind pulled her towards the direction of which she had looked first and started down the hall. An odd noise slowly grew louder the further down the hall she went, making her hope she had gone the right way till it led her into a massive area where the largest pile of gold, mostly of coins, crowns, jewels and other trinkets, had laid at its center. The odd noise came from a large box with an oddly shaped horn attached to it standing on its own stand. This was clearly making the sound but with most of the items she had seen in her room she was unsure of how they worked but wanted to desperately figure it out as the scratching sound was hurting her ears.

As she walked closer she noticed a black surface spinning and upon touching it to feel the surface she caused it to stop, which also caused the scratching to also stop. Letting go to let the round surface spine cause the sound to resume. As she investigated more she saw a bar seemingly float on its surface, which when she touched it caused a very loud noise, very different from the previous scratching to blare out making her to stumble back and gasp.

The Doctor softly chuckled, his voice echoed around the massive room making it hard to discern where he actually was, “Oh, you are very amusing.”

Clara looked around the cave from where she stood trying to find the Doctor, the noise from the box ended and returned to the scratching she heard once before, “Doctor, where are you?”

“Well, I was slumbering.”

She continued to keep her gaze around the cave in search of the Doctor till she started to hear the slow tinkle of coins coming from the pile. As she turned to look to see what was causing the coins to shift, the sound grew into a giant waterfall of coins as her eyes came upon the dragon coming up from the giant pile with coins and treasure slid off his body. The sight of seeing a gigantic dragon, now more up-close, coming out from hiding caused her to stumble and fall backwards onto the floor in fear, “Oh my gods.”

The Doctor frowned seeing what he had done. Slowly he moved a front paw and extended a claw out to help her back up from where she had fallen, "I am sorry Clara, I should have warned you."

Sitting on the floor she looked up to him, she had better lighting while running away from the guards but she now had more time to look at him. He was definitely scaled like a lizard but each scale looked like a dark blue jewel glistening in the torch light. As he eyes continued upward she saw to his face that he had tendrils of a lighter blue coming out like a mustache and goatee on a man and long slicked backed horns of the same light blue adorning the top of his head.

The Doctor mentally smiled as he noticed her gazing to him, not in fear but in awe, "Clara are you alright?"

Clara shook her head out of the daze of the sight of the dragon in front of her. Nodding that she was alright she brought her hand up touching his held out claw and helped herself back up, “You sleep in there?”

He nodded his head, he clearly acted more like a man than a dragon in his actions, then cocked it in curiosity for her question, “You really don't know anything about dragons?”

“Well I only thought they were stories and thought they breathed fire too.”

“Some do yes but there are others that breathe lightning, ice or even poison. Anyway it's a fear of thieves of not knowing where a dragon is and, as you saw, it's frightening when a dragon comes up out of the hoard one might be trying to steal from.” He gently wiggled in place as he was still half buried in the giant pile of gold, “I do say it is comfortable, at least to me.”

She smiled as he was willing to answer her curious questions, "Since I guess this is the time for questions, why do your scales look like stone?"

"Because they are scales of sapphire."

Her eyes lit up in surprise that his skin was made of jewels, "Sapphire?"

He nodded once more, "Yes there are dragons that have scales of gold or silver even. Though the pads of my paws are normal blue scales, hard to walk on some surfaces with jewels for feet."

"Could I feel?"

He looked down to his paw that was used to help Clara up then offered it to her once again. He watched as she walked up gently running her hand along a few of the scales on the top of his paw and then down to where his jeweled scales met his regular scales. It had been a long time since he had interacted with a human, let alone have one touch him without fearing that they would kill him. A strange feeling started to tingle at his hearts causing him to pull his paw back, he hadn't felt the feeling in a long time. It frightened him as he knew now he had to take Clara to safety. He watched her look up in curiosity which was cause to make the moment switch to another focus, “Anyway, the record player.”

“The what?”

“The object playing music, it's called a record player.”

Clara looked over to the box looking at it oddly as the sounds that it had produced were definitely not music, “That was music?”

The Doctor seized the opportunity to change to his human form. Walking over to the record player, he turned the volume down and put the needle to the start of the track once again to let it play out, “yes, it's called _Ziggy Stardust._ Came from the 1970's by a named called David Bowie, slightly fond of his works.”

Clara listened, now that the so called record player wasn't blaring for a dragons ears, the sounds of the instruments were interesting and was something she might get used to hearing if she understood the words better. She looked over feeling a presence near her and realized the Doctor was human once again in the same clothes that he was in at the castle, “what are you wearing? I know it's clothing but it's not something from here.”

“Oh this clothing started to come around the start of the 1800s maybe earlier I'm not sure.” He chuckled in thought turning to look to her, “you should see the clothing women start to wear in the 1970s. They start to dress like men, completely normal.”

Clara laughed at the thought then looked to him with a glint in her eye, “Could we?”

“Could we what?”

“Go see the 1970s?”

His eyes went wide when he realized what he had stumbled into, “Oh my I did walk myself into that suggestion didn't I?” He sighed and frowned to Clara before walking away as he spoke, “I'm sorry Clara but I can't, it's very much a different time and you might find it overwhelming. Plus I must take you to a safe place in the next few days.”

“Why can you not shelter me here?”

“I have my reasons Clara do not argue with me.”

She walked up behind him wondering why he refusing to show her, “Why can you not tell me?”

He turned back around looking at her with his brows furrowed once again, “Because young girl, you will attempt counter my argument and force me to find another reason till I regretfully force you out.”

She was surprised that he seemed annoyed with her now, “W-why bring me here then? Heal me then talk of sights and sounds of another time and deny me it?”

“Because I am not cruel.”

“If you're not cruel then you will take me to see this 1970s of yours, it does not seem like it is an unreachable place.”

He was taken back at her rashness towards him, something uncommon for a peasant girl to even dare to do but yet here she had. He stared at her for a few moments as she stared back, if she was a dragon herself it would have been seen as act of attempting to display dominance over him which intrigued him greatly. He narrowed his eyes after thinking a few moments to end the stand-off, “If I take you, you will not argue with me further?”

Clara nodded, “Yes, I will not argue with you afterwards.”

He nodded in return his tense body relaxing while his mind still ran with curiosity on how a human could make him worry over his domain. He now worried if she would follow through with his request.

 


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Clara woke up, sadly she did not know what time it was as she was living inside of a cave for the past few days. She did not even know how long she had been away for either as the Doctor never told her. Walking from her room to the Doctors room Clara heard a roar and thumping coming from outside. She looked around the large room as the roaring and thumping continued on outside apparent that it was going away from the cave, “Doctor?”

A few moments later the thumping returned then suddenly stopped with the Doctor walking from the shadows in his human form carrying a few vases in his arms. He paused seeing Clara was up, “Ah sorry if I woke you, the weekly drunken challenge from the thieves guild was here.”

Clara raised an eyebrow in curiosity as she walked over to help him as he clearly was having trouble with the oddly shaped vases, “Thieves challenge?”

The Doctor eyed Clara as she took one of the vases, he knew she was helping but after what had just happened he was still wary of humans stealing his items. “Yes, they get all liquored up and vote on who goes to raid my hoard. This time it was a group instead of just one person. I had to chase them down as they actually made off with some of my treasure.”

Walking beside him with the vase she looked at him wondering what he had done to the thieves, “Did you kill them?”

“Why concern yourself with what I do to thieves?”

Clara shrugged, “I'm just curious as to why they're willing to keep coming back.”

“Because they're thieves.” They stopped in front of cabinet with the Doctor placing the vase inside. He turned to Clara who handed the vase over to him, “And I sent them all back in time, as I do to with them all, especially when I need the energy to take us to the 1970s and back.”

“Maybe you should let one run back.”

“I did once and it made no difference, as I said they're thieves. They're in it for the spoils and the fame.” He set the vase next to the first one and closed the cabinet.

“So why have all this treasure if they are just going to try to take it?”

He waved his hand while looking towards everything in the room, “Because I collected it all my life, it's mine.”

Clara chuckled, “There's no possible manner you could collect all this in your lifetime.”

The Doctor looked to Clara and furrowed his brow, “How old do you think I am?”

She gave a small shrug as she really didn't know how long a dragon could really live, “Two hundred years?”

The Doctor suddenly burst out in laughter, how could a human possibly guess such a short amount of time? As he looked back to Clara, whose arms were crossed along with an unamused look on her face, he suddenly stopped laughing and frowned, “Oh apologies that was rude of me.”

“Very.”

“You really don't know?”

She shook her head, “No, I don't.”

“Two-thousand years old.”

Her eyes widened and her arms uncrossed in surprise, “two-thousand?”

“I have seen the rise and fall of a great many empires, accidentally married Cleopatra,” he gave brief smile as he quickly remembered the moment, “seen and fought in a great many wars. All those tales you grew up hearing of a time long ago and far, far away, I lived them.”

Clara kept her eyes wide as she listened, it was unreal that the man before her had lived such a long life. A thought came around about the fable surrounding the castle she had first met him in and wanted to know the real story, “The story of the castle I met you in. It's true?”

“Yes in fact it was of Arcas' grandfather, Doran. He was a ruthless tyrant who demanded that anyone that lived on his lands gave their obedience and their gold. One day he decided my cave was on his lands.” He shook his head with a sigh,“When he tried to threaten me with soldiers, his armies knew better. He started to execute his generals for treason for not marching to me. Such arrogance for thinking he could command me.”

“But is that not what King Arcas does now?”

“I can forgive Arcas for attempting to do what he did in wanting to resurrect his son.” He furrowed his brow looking to Clara, “I do not forgive him though for trying to murder an innocent while thinking that the other forgotten gods will hear his plea. Everything can not be commanded, it must be respected. That includes death.”

“Won't the King just try again with another person?”

“Perhaps but I will make sure that he regrets it if he does.”

Clara looked at the Doctor, she couldn't understand why someone with so much power and gold could care about things beneath him. Especially about people who live such short lives compared to his own. “Why do you care about humans?”

The Doctor smiled slightly, “They've always fascinated me.”

“You're lonely.”

He scoffed at the comment, “I'm not lonely, especially not with those damn thieves coming around every week.”

She smirked, “If you weren't, you would have taken me to this safe place you spoke of. I wager they could have tended to me while I healed.”

The Doctor gave a soft sigh, was his human form that readable now? It was true he was lonely as he was one of the last remaining dragons, or perhaps the last. It was true the sisters could have tended to Clara but in a state of fear he ran off with her to the only place his mind told him was safe. He looked back to her, “Do you want to go see the 1970s?”

Clara grinned, she could see that she was right and wanted now to keep him company. “Only if I get to stay around here afterwards.”

“That was not our agreement.”

“I'll change your mind.”

He huffed, evidently vague references were not working and he had to tell her. “Clara the reason I don't want you to stay is because you will become apart of my hoard. Like all these objects already here, you can never leave.”

She looked at him in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“I gain an attachment to all my items. If something leaves I know it.” The Doctor frowned looking at Clara, “You will want to grow old with another human and have children of your own someday. If you stay here you would not be able to do that, as every time you attempt to leave I would force you back. Possibly hurting others in the process.”

Clara frowned, “I'm sorry I didn't know.”

“A dragons weakness is his treasure. One would do anything for the smallest of things.” _Like a king wanting his son back._

“Would it be alright if you visit me though?”

He nodded, “I can. No guarantees on when I will show up.”

Clara nodded with a small smile as she at least was going to spend at least one more day with the Doctor, “to the 1970s then.”

The Doctor smiled back then quickly looked towards a shelf as if he almost forgot something important, “Oh I have something for you. Don't want to be going around in a nightgown.” He walked over pulling off a medium sized brown box from a higher shelf and came back pulling the cover off.

She gasped as she looked inside, she figured it to be fabric with small patterns lining the edges. “Oh my goodness. What is this?”

“It's a dress and sandals for you to wear. This is normal for someone of the 70s.”

Clara giggled and took the box running off to the another room as she shouted back, “I'm going to put this on.”

The Doctor stared at the vases that were taken as Clara was changing, he had hoped that she was putting it on properly as it was a simple item in his mind. He did not forget though that humans could make even the simplest things complicated. He felt something graze his arm causing him to jump slightly and look to what had touched him. His eyes went wide as he looked to see Clara standing next to him. The white ankle length dress with small prints of lilacs lining the edges of the sleeves and frills was a sight to behold on her. She had also brushed her long brunette hair out as she had kept it up while she had stayed in bed.

Clara smiled as she saw that the Doctor was mesmerized with how she looked, “It's alright?”

He nodded, “Yes very.” He looked down to her feet seeing the sandals were properly put on, “I hope the shoes were not an issue?”

“They feel slightly odd but better than running around in my bare feet.”

The Doctor smiled then walked around behind her, bringing his hands up covering her eyes. “Close your eyes.”

She nodded and did as he asked. She suddenly felt a rush of wind and what sounded like thunder causing her to gasp. Feeling his hands come away from her face she opened her eyes gasping once more to the sight before her, “Oh my goodness.”

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies on this chapter taking so long. Weather and migraines do not work well with trying to concentrate!

Clara blinked then blinked again. She looked down to the stone she was standing on then looked back up out towards the rest of the sight. Her mind was in disbelief. They were definitely on top of a large tower of some sort which towered above even more towers. Clara was unsure if she was scared or thrilled to be seeing such a sight.

The Doctor had shifted to stand beside her watching her eyes dart around the new view she had come into, “Welcome to New York City, June 1977.” He noticed her starting to gasp as it seemed like she was trying to find words but forgetting to breathe in the process, “Breathe.”

Clara laughed, finally catching her breath, and looked over to the Doctor with wide eyes, “We're so high up.”

“Are you alright?”

She nodded then looked around at the rest of the building, “Y-yes, I think. What is this castle?”

The Doctor smiled, “There are hardly any castles in 1977, at least ones still in use. This is called the Empire State building. One of the two, well 3, tallest buildings in the city.”

Clara's eyes went wide once again in surprise that there was another tall tower of this size, “There are others?”

“Yes, you can actually see the other two. They're a set of buildings.” He leans in close to point her eye line towards the edge of Manhattan to the twin towers standing above. He stood back up staring at the towers as Clara went wide eyed in amazement. He then started to frown as he remembered what would happen later on.

She turned to look to him, as she was wanting to ask a question, but noticed the frowning expression on his face as he still looked to the towers, “Why are you looking sad?”

The Doctor looked back to Clara then looked around to see if any one of the sparse population on the observation deck was nearby. He leaned in speaking with a lowered voice, “Because I had traveled to a time period where there was one building, a new building just as tall and a memorial next to it.”

Clara looked back to the towers then back to the Doctor, “What had happened to those two?”

“A violent attack had caused both of those towers to collapse.” He suddenly broke into a smile to stave away the sadness, “but that's in the future and here we are, still able see them in all their glory.”

She looked back out to the towers saddened that people would destroy something so magnificent for whatever reason. The Doctor was right, they were here in 1977 where the the buildings were still standing and it was indeed a sight. She nodded then started to look around as she wanted to see the rest of this New York City, “how do we get down?”

He smiled and took her hand, “come on.”

 

After traveling down in a box the Doctor had called an elevator and walked outside Clara looked up to the tower they had just been standing on top of. She giggled almost falling backwards into the Doctor as the building was too tall to properly get a good view. Clara then looked around at the surrounding buildings and weird objects traveling without the aid of horses. “How do those carriages move without horses?”

“It would take forever to explain but there is something called an engine that makes the wheels turn. Funny enough how one measures the power of an engine is called horsepower.”

She giggled once more and looked to the Doctor and then blushed, “Sorry you must think me an idiot for all these questions.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and smirked, “I would never expect you to know all these things. We're about a thousand years into the future, a lot has changed.”

“Hopefully people in the future still eat as I'm hungry.”

He lightly bit at his lip, how he had forgotten that humans required to eat at regular intervals. “Oh yes eat. I, um, forgotten about that.”

Clara made a face towards him, “Do you even eat?”

“At times, yes.” He sighed and looked to her, “The problem with this is we need money of this time. People don't barter, use gold coins or jewels for currency anymore.”

“I doubt those things would not be valuable today still.”

The Doctor smirked amazed that such a small young human believed that such objects were still valuable, “quite right.” He looked around happening upon a nearby jewelers sign down the street, “come on I think I know how we can get some money.”

 

A man in his late fifties holds up a small diamond peering at it through his monocle mumbling in awe at what he was looking at. As he put the diamond down next to the small pile of diamonds of other sized on top of the jewelry counter he looked up to the Doctor, “w-where did you get these?”

The Doctor turned back around from watching Clara wait outside and smirked to the man, “I'm a dragon and it's apart of my horde of coins and jewels.”

The man laughed at the joke and shook his head, “come on man don't pull my leg.”

“I'm not.”

The man frowned and looked to the pile picking up the diamond that he had been looking at once again, “Look I don't have that kind of cash to give you. This alone is like five thousand dollars.”

“How much do you have?”

“Why do you want to part with these for so little?” The jeweler eyed the Doctor sizing him up, he didn't seem like a thief as he was too well dressed but then again looks weren't everything, “You didn't steal these, did you?”

“They're not. I've been away for a long time and the place I traveled around in only took jewels as currency.”

The jeweler stared back to the diamond pile, astounded at what was happening, “Look man, you seriously want to give me all these?”

“Take the one of lowest value then.”

“$750 is all I have in the safe. Even then I still don't have enough.”

The Doctor smiled, “Consider it a thanks for even purchasing it.”

He nodded and smirked pointing out towards Clara who was looking in,“Alright, if you ever need to socket those others for a ring for that girl outside. I'll do it for free.”

The Doctor turned smiling to Clara, “She's just a friend.”

“That's what they all say.”

 

Clara bounced a little as the Doctor walked out pocketing the sizable stack of bills on the inside of his jacked, “Will that be enough?”

“Very much so.” He grinned as he looked to Clara, holding out his hand to which she quickly took, “Let us do lunch.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for it being another week for this chapter to come out! Been busy.

The Doctor smirked as Clara looked curiously at the hot dog she held in her hand. It wasn't something she wouldn't understand as it was essentially a sausage surrounded with bread. It was just the difference of color and thickness that was possibly confusing her. “Go on eat it.”

Clara picked at the breading as she held it then poked at the hot dog itself, “but it's so thin. How does someone get full by just this?”

The hot dog vendor they were standing by over heard the question and chuckled, loudly proclaiming in the typical New York accent, “By having more! Eat as many as you want. As long as you got the cash of course.”

The Doctor smirked, “It's her first time having one.”

The vendor smiled, “Hey no worries, I get foreigners all the time wanting to try one. Why I'm parked here near the Empire. They visit her first then go in search for a hot dog or a cheeseburger.”

Clara finally took a small bite of the hot dog, while it was definitely meat it wasn't very appealing and looked to the Doctor trying to hide her distaste from the vendor.

The vendor chuckled as he did in fact notice her face, “yeah a naked dog isn't that great.” He leaned over with a weird container that oozed a yellow line on the sausage and then spooned a thin line of green along with it. “Try it now. Though not everyone likes relish but it's a New York thing.”

Clara's eyes widened with the new bite, “Okay now it's good.” She looked to the smirking Doctor next to her. Taking another bite she wondered if he ever had one before, “You should you try one.”

Having recently devoured a small herd of animals a few days ago he was satisfied for a month and shook his head, “Not hungry.”

“Eat.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow curiously as to why she was trying to push the subject when he didn't need to eat. He had had them before and while it wasn't as good as raw beef or mutton it was a sort of guilty pleasure he would fulfill every few years. He sighed as he looked over to the vendor who was giving him a smirk, “Alright.” The Doctor and the vendor exchanged items they were holding, the vendor a full hot dog and the Doctor a fifty dollar bill, “keep the change.”

The vendor looked up in surprise realizing what the Doctor had handed him, “You sure?”

“Yes, thank you.”

 

After the vendor gave a few more hot dogs to the both of them to make up for the massive tip he had just receive the Doctor and Clara walked around the busy sidewalks of New York. The Doctor was intrigued that Clara wasn't fearful of the city. A car honking or a random street vendor suddenly shouting would startle her but she seemed to be comfortable with the new surroundings. He walked up beside her, “What did you want to do next?”

She pointed to the cars slowly making their way through the traffic, “Can we ride in one of those, you called them cars?”

“I was waiting for you to ask. Anything in particular you wanting to see?”

“Everything.”

The Doctor smirked and pointed to a bright yellow car that was starting to let people out, “Those are made for taking people around who don't have a car. We have to hurry though to catch it.”

Luckily as they rushed over to the taxi no one else was attempting to get in which was a rarity when the Doctor tried before. After they got inside Clara was staring past the plexiglas barrier, to where the driver sat, looking curiously at the front dash at all the gauges, knobs and items that were on there.

The driver looked to the rear view mirror seeing Clara staring the dash and the Doctor staring back to him. “Where to?”

“Could you drive around a little bit? See the sights.” He held up a $50 so the driver could see, “I tip well.”

The driver looked to the bill, the smirking Doctor then realized that his jaw had dropped, “Hell I'll drive you through Harlem if you want. First time here?”

“Just around Manhattan is fine and it's her first time. First time in a car as well.”

The driver smirked, “I'm sure ya got cars in England.”

The Doctor chuckled, “yes, but not from where she's from.”

 

Clara was amazed that a car was no different from a carriage apart from the fact that the roads were smooth and the compartment wasn't being pulled by horses. She was amused though as they went by others that some were just occupied by one or two people especially when the vehicle looked large enough to carry 6 or more people. She watched as the endless forest of buildings passed by, she had seen a small tree here and there but there were no patches of grass or a group of trees actually anywhere for what she had seen.

She turned her head as the driver announced they were coming up on Central park and gasped as she saw the trees. It was interesting that the city walled in the forest instead of a forest surrounding a city. Clara looked to the Doctor, “Is everywhere like this?”

He gently shook his head, “No just in the large cities. A lot of people living in this area.”

“How many?”

“Millions.”

“M-millions?”

The driver smirked listening to the conversation, “Almost eight million from what the news said the other day.”

The Doctor leaned towards the driver, “Pull over by the conservatory garden?”

The driver nodded and drove a few more minutes pulling up towards the black gates that marked the garden, “Here ya go.”

“Thank you.” The Doctor pays the man and gets out with Clara following out after.

The driver grinned seeing the immense tip he was given, “No, sir, thank you!”

 

They walked around the park eventually walking to a sculpture that had three women dancing around the small fountain. Clara eyes had been wide with all the colors of flowers and the placement of everything making designs around it. “T-this is so amazing.”

“Yes quite.”

She smiled and looked to the Doctor with a slightly worried look, “Though I don't like that there are hardly any trees except this central park.”

“They're not all gone nor is everything buildings in the future. I just wanted to see how you would handle a big city like this.” He smirked and then sighed looking around for a moment before looking back to Clara, “But I think it's time to go.”

Clara pouted, she wanted to stay longer and see more of the 1970's, “Do we have to?”

The Doctor nodded, “Yes but you had asked if I could visit afterwards. I think we could travel more, in time.”

Clara smiled brightly, “Promise?”

He raised an eyebrow, “Only if you don't expect me every week.”

“Deal.”

The Doctor looked around, there was a few people in the area but luckily they were focused on other things or walking to another area. He walked behind Clara once again to cover her eyes before they disappeared from 1970s New York.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Once the Doctors hands moved from in front of her vision Clara looked to the medium sized thatch house sitting in the slightly green rolling hills. The smoke rolling out of the chimney indicated someone was here or had readied the house for her. The Doctor walked over to the door and gently knocked onto it.

The door cracked open to a small slightly hunched over elderly woman in multiple robed layers that eyed the Doctor for a moment before she spoke, “Dragon.”

The Doctor softly sighed as if he was tired of the old woman calling him that but then greeted her in the same tone, “Lullin.”

She then leaned over looking past the Doctor looking to Clara curiously looking back towards her, “Human, what are you wearing?”

Clara looked down to the dress then back to the old woman. While it was a dress it was more like a nightgown for the time period she lived in and the woman was possibly confused by it, “A dress, the Doctor gave it to me.”

Lullin blankly stared at Clara then moved her eyes to the Doctor for a moment then back to Clara once again, “human go inside, I need to talk to the dragon.”

Clara furrowed her brow as the woman hadn't bothered to ask for her name, continuing to call her human as if the old woman was not human herself, “My name is Clara.”

Lullin narrowed her eyes slightly as she shuffled around opening the door more to let Clara inside, “We'll see. Go inside.” As soon as Clara walked inside Lullin walked out closing the door and walked up to the Doctor. She stared at him longer before straightening herself up and grabbing harshly as his jaw looking closer to him. She spoke to him like a mother talking to a child that just broke a rule, “you touched minds.”

His eyes gave him away immediately as he look away trying to pull himself from her grip, “She woke up when I was having her healed. She was scared, I had to.”

“And you took her to the future too.” She leaned in inhaling around him and then scoffed at what she had smelled, “Twice.”

“The first time was because she was hurt and instinct took me there. The second was because she wouldn't leave unless I showed her the 1970's. I stupidly talked about it and she demanded to see it.”

She finally let go resuming her hunched over stance and glared towards him, “Has your will weakened that you're bending to humans demands?”

He glared back, an animal growl coming his chest, “No.”

She shook her head at his attempt to start a dominance stance to her and started to walk back to the house, “You stay away till the hold has gone.”

“Do not tell me what to do.”

“I tell you so you will not hurt yourself by foolish acts. She is a mayfly to you, do not forget it.”

The Doctor huffed as he turned walking away before he transformed into his dragon form and flew off. Lullin shook her head once more as she opened the door and walked inside to a confused Clara. “Why should he stay away?”

Lullin pursed her lips walking past to the fireplace pushing a pot of stew back over the fire, “You do know that listening to private conversations is wrong?”

“Your voices were raised. I'm sorry.” She walked around to try to get the old woman in front of her to look at her, “He told me that if I had stayed too long I couldn't leave.”

Lullin nodded keeping an eye on the stew than looked to the small human that stood beside her, “Yes and he's too kind to have properly told you to get lost. Stupid animal.”

She huffed and furrowed her brow, she couldn't understand why this person in front of her was belittling him. He wasn't stupid and not really an animal, “He's not a stupid animal.”

Lullin sighed finally sternly looking up to Clara,“Don't let that form of his trick you, he is still a dragon. Yes they are intelligent but like humans can be stupid.”

Clara frowned as she still had no idea why the Doctor trusted this person. Yet here she was staring at the old woman who was even insulting her, “it still doesn't give you the right to insult him just because he wants to be kind.”

She straightened up which gave her a few inches over Clara and stared down to her talking to her like she did with the Doctor, “Kindness does more harm than good. Especially when it is towards humans.”

Clara stared back in surprise. The woman talked like she wasn't a normal person and might have had one too many encounters that ended in some form of pain. She quickly thought about asking the question and hoped she might have been right. “You're not human either. Are you?”

Lullin raised an eyebrow and returned to her hunched stance looking to the now slow boiling stew, “I wasn't no. Yes, that was a past tense.” She looked back up to Clara seeing the human with a slightly satisfied face, like she had broke down a barrier. “I'm not going to give you my life story, you're here till it's safe to return.”

Clara nodded and looked around to the slightly kept yet still dusty cottage, “What did you need me to do?”

“Whatever humans do; eat, sleep, be bored of me.” She grabbed a wooden bowl and dished out some of the steaming hot stew and handed it to Clara.

Clara took it still eager to get an answer, “What do you really want me to do? You're housing me, I want to help.”

Lullin looked over to her eyeing the clothes Clara was wearing and then dished herself her own bowl of soup before speaking, “First you can get out of that clothing. Then do whatever you want.”

Clara huffed at the reply, she wanted to prove herself to this person that the Doctor called Lullin in hopes that she would be called by her name instead of human.

 

\----------------------

 

The Doctor stared at the bed Clara had occupied for the three weeks. He hated when Lullin was right, Clara had stayed too long. Having to go into her mind to make her forget of her time in the space station did not help matters either. He sat on the edge of the bed and felt the egyptian cotton sheets, they were of course cold but with the softness of the sheets he could understand why she enjoyed the bed. He could feel the pull of wanting to get her back, while it wasn't at its full potential it was still an annoyance. An annoyance he wouldn't mind to have continue.

He furrowed his brow in thought, the last time he needed to get over a bond he traveled and collected everything he owned now. While the idea to do it again would be a good plan he just didn't want to go through with it. The Doctor shifted himself and laid down on his back in the middle of the bed. He wiggled a bit getting situated on the soft mattress and then closed his eyes smelling Clara's scent that just barely lingered. He no longer cared that she was a human and he was a dragon; he wanted to not be lonely any longer.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Clara sighed and stared at the thatch roof of the large living space as she awoke from a mid-day nap. Lullin was true to her word on letting Clara do whatever she wanted, as long as Clara didn't disrupt or damage anything of course. Sadly apart from taking walks around the vast empty scenery of green hills there was nothing else to do except eat, sleep and be bored for the three weeks she had been there. Tired of staring at the ceiling Clara got up, walked out of the cottage and walked into the puff of smoke from the pipe Lullin was smoking.

Lullin looked over to Clara who was trying to hide her coughs from the smoke, “the dragon will be here soon. Wants to take you on another trip.”

Claras eyes lit up and she grinned wildly, the Doctor had kept his promise to visit her. She looked around trying to spot him before looking to Lullin who had a glare about her, “What?”

“He wants to know if you want to stay with him.” She sighed biting down on the tip of the mouth piece before taking another puff of the pipe. She had a concerned look on her face as she turned to look out towards the scenery before them, “Which means he has let the hold get the better of him.”

Clara frowned and thought about what Lullin and the Doctor had said. “What should I do?”

“I had hoped it wasn't as strong as I thought but there were other items that would have caused it to be stronger.” Lullin looked over to her, “So I'm leaving it to you. I've never heard of a dragon claiming possession on a human. If you do not want to be stuck with him maybe you can tell him no. You managed to make him take you to the future, maybe you can stubbornly get out of his hold. I would suggest doing it now if you want a proper family in the future.”

Clara looked to Lullin then back outwards to the hills, she suddenly felt ill as a wave of guilt came over her. It had been weeks and she hadn't even made sure to make sure her father was alright. Clearly with her rushing off with the Doctor they would have likely questioned, tortured him or worse, killed him.

She saw a glint in the distance as the Doctor flew in, landing a distance away to not disturb the small cottage with the wind he stirred with his wings. He walked up closer before transforming into his human form looking to Lullin who was glaring towards him, “I see you have given her the talk.”

Lullin nodded taking in another puff of her pipe before responding, “You know why I should stop you but you know why I can't.”

“I still have my senses about me, hence why the note said to ask her.” He looked to Clara with a small smile, “I do want Clara to be happy but I would like a traveling companion.”

Clara took a small step forward grabbing the Doctors hand, “Could I see my father first before I make up my mind? It's been weeks I need to see that he is alright.”

The Doctor looked to her in surprise, he had forgotten to even check if Clara even had a family. His mind raced quickly figuring out when they could go back in time. They couldn't cross their own time lines or be too early for the possible patrol of soldiers looking for Clara. “We can go back in time to check on your father. Sadly it needs to be a week after we ran, especially if the guards were out looking for you.”

She nodded, she wasn't exactly happy that it was a week but it was better than the months she was actually away. “Thank you.”

 

 

After the Doctor transported them back in time and to behind the cottage that Clara's father resided in they snuck inside. Clara desperately looked around realizing her father wasn't home. She looked to the Doctor with concern, “This isn't like him. He needs me to take care of him.”

The Doctor frowned and turned seeing a dagger holding a parchment against the inside of the door, “This would be the reason.” He growled audibly reading the words ' _Give us the girl for the father_ ', “You shall stay here, out of sight.”

Clara looked to him, “What are you going to do?”

“Remind Arcas that he has no control over me or death.”

 

 

The main chamber doors slammed against the walls as the Doctor pushed them violently open, his voice echoing throughout the castle as he yelled, “I was kind to you!” He walked with haste towards the King leaning down close to him, closer than no man had ever done to a king, “Never take my kindness as a weakness!”

Arcas spat back, infuriated that the dragon would still not honor his request and that he was dangerously close to him, “Then you should resurrect my son!”

“I can not!”

Arcas stood up through the small space that he had to glare to the dragon in front of him, “Do you have no pity? This is my son!”

“Pity?”, the Doctor scoffed, “Of course I have pity. But your sons death pales in comparison to what I have had to experience.” His voice finally lowered to where it only was barely heard in the main chamber, “To see your own family die, then later on have to destroy your own species to save the world from a foolish war. I wish I could save your son, Arcas, save everyone that died a meaningless death throughout the ages and every hatchling caught in the cross-fire of what I did but I can not. 800 years I've had to live with my sorrows. You can live ten to twenty more for yours.” The Doctor backed up a few steps upon seeing the look of surprise on Arcas' face hoping he had just knocked some sense into him.

Arcas stood for a few moments taking in what was just spoken to him. He shook his head, showing that he was still not going to take no for an answer. “You're just a heartless animal.”

The deep dragon growl rolled forth to show his distaste of what was just spoke. “No I've just accepted the reality of the situation. Since you won't do such on your own then I will give you a new reality. In any way you attempt to imprison, torture or harm any living thing to continue this foolish quest I will show you what happened to your forefather.” The Doctor turned and walked hastily back out of the hall speaking loudly as he exited, “I will be taking the girls father to safety to start you on the proper road of your promise.”

 

 

Lullin looked to Clara's father, as Clara walked him inside, then to the Doctor. The man was clearly beaten either for information or to cause Clara to rush to his rescue. Luckily the wounds, while would take a while, would heal and he would live out his remaining years without too much pain. “Luckily they didn't beat him more. He will be fine.”

The Doctor looked down to the floor, “I-I should have gotten there sooner.”

Lullin frowned, “Do not curse yourself over this. You're a lord of time, not a soothsayer.”

The Doctor softly spoke looking up watching Clara sob next to her father, “she will hate me now.”

“Only if you run away.”

He sighed looking away then slowly walked toward Clara, “Clara.”

She jumped slightly hearing her name and turned looking up to him still crying, “I wish we could have gotten there sooner.”

“I-I know. I'm sorry.”

Clara stood up wrapping her arms tightly around him. The Doctor stood looking down to her in confusion of the gesture before remembering what the gesture was. A hug. He awkwardly put his arms around her to reciprocate what she was doing. He was confused as he had seen people hug when happy or when greeting a loved one. Never when sad. The warmth of her against him was comforting, like the warmth of the sun when it finally showed itself. He closed his eyes as the familiar tingle ran down his spine causing him pull himself away from her.

“Clara, stay with your father. Take all the time you need.” The Doctor sighed and looked to a surprised Lullin, “send me a dove with her answer.”

Clara was in shock as the Doctor walked out closing the door with the sound of his dragon self lifting off a few moments later. She looked to Lullin who was just as much confused as she was.

Lullin stared at Clara for a few moments before regaining her normal composure, “Come we need to tend to your father so he can finally rest peacefully.”

 


	10. Chapter 10

Clara groaned as she walked outside into the smoke of not one but now two pipes as once her father had healed he had started to join Lullin in her daily pipe smoking. She had managed to make him stop once before since he had a violent cough every time he had smoked before. She glared to Lullin, “you're killing my father do you know that?”

Lullin smirked not looking toward her but out to endless hills, “the leaves that I use is different from what you humans use. He hasn't coughed once.”

She huffed and looked to her father who had been looking towards the both of them before he turned away as he knew what was coming, “Dad please.”

David sighed turning to look up to his daughter, “Clara I'm not going to be around forever, you know this. Just let me do what I want.” He looked to the green rolling hills, “I kind of like it here. It's calm, peaceful.”

Lullin chimed in absent-mindedly, “I can keep watch of him in his final years Clara. That I have no problem with.”

Clara looked at her oddly. She thought that Lullin hated everyone but herself. Lullin looked frail, much more than her father, but knew she could move if she pushed herself.“You don't move around well either and don't you hate everyone?”

Lullin took another puff from her pipe with a small smirk, “I do not hate. I do it to see the kind of person you are. As far as my speed I'm not in a rush to go anywhere. Sadly it's just this body that wants to act like I'm at deaths door. I'm far, far from it in fact.”

David looked around ignoring what was spoken between the two which caused him to randomly spout out the question, “I'm curious with the vast land here, where are the cows? Sheep? Any type of animal?”

Clara turned to her father then looked around finally realizing that she too had yet to see the same during her stay. “Yeah, how do you make the stew? I know the meat is different each day so you must be getting it somewhere.”

Lullin smiled to the two who now looked towards her, “The Doctor set this area up. It's out of time with the rest of the world but I had set aside all the various meats, weeds and other items that I need. When the day passes everything resets. Nothing rots.” Lullin puffed on her pipe a few more times sighing contently, “the same beautiful day till I finally pass.”

Clara now understood why the Doctor had to transport her and her father through his magic. “I see why this is the safest place. You have to have the magic.”

She nodded and then looked to David who was staring in wonder at the land before him, “David could you excuse us for a few moments. I need to talk with your daughter.”

He nodded and slowly stood up and walked inside, “I feel a need for stew anyway.”

Lullin smirked and looked to Clara after he closed the door, “I have been thinking of what happened a few days ago with the Doctor. I don't think it is the hold that draws him to you anymore.”

“What is it?”

“He wants a companion.”

Clara smirked at the obvious statement, “I know that.”

“I do not think it is the type of companionship you think it is.”

Clara looked at her in confusion then it dawned on her what was really meant, “Couldn't he find another dragon?”

“If there were anymore he could, yes.”

“There's no more?”

She gently shook her head, “No more, he's the last. Wiped themselves out in the great dragon war a long time ago.”

Clara gasped she knew he was lonely but hadn't realized the reason behind it. She had thought he had just lazily laid about his cave protecting his gold.

“I do not know what you've done around him but it has his attention. I'm not saying you should accept the offer as a courtship but accept it as a traveling companion. It's how he asked and it's not every day one can travel in time.” Lullin smirked towards her, “As I said before I can watch your father.”

“Are you sure of my father staying here? You're not the best hostess.”

“Because you're just a restless child. One who needs some adventure.”

Clara smirked and spoke before she walked back into the cottage, “Send the damn dove.”

 

 

 

The Doctor sighed as he restlessly laid buried in the pile of gold in his cave. He sometimes cursed that he didn't have to sleep or needed to eat often. He wanted to do something to help what was coming up on 6 days 12 hours, 47 minutes and 20 seconds and beyond to pass easier. He sometimes wished he wasn't a time lord either, the constant ability to know how much time had past bothered him when he needed to wait. Soon he heard the flaps of wings which landed and shifted a few coins around before a pecking sound started.

He gently wiggled the top of his head out of the pile so he could see the dove gaining his attention, “Yes?” The dove cooed a few times telling him the message which caused him to instantly jump out of the pile of gold sending it flying everywhere. “Yes! She's accepted me!” He ran and jumped around like a puppy causing the cave to shake like an earthquake was happening. He only stopped when the dove, who had perched itself on a shelf, cooed in laughter. The Doctor glared towards it, “you tell anyone of what you saw I will feed you to my Clara, do you understand?” The dove cooed in fear and stared at the Doctor waiting for the return message. “Tell them I will return on the morrow.”

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies on the random times I update this.

After answering the many questions from Clara's awestruck father then saying their goodbyes to both him and Lullin the Doctor and Clara went onward to their next destination. The Doctor didn't cover Clara's eyes like he had done the many times before. She could understand why he did it as it was a little disorienting as the green rolling hills swirled into a dark tunnel. She blinked as the darkness turned into a starry sky and they now stood on a small balcony to a building with many other buildings nearby. The warm night air told her that it was around summer time and made it pleasant versus the constant fall temperatures of Lullins house.

The Doctor carefully watched Clara to make sure she was fine and all her senses were still about her. As she looked up to him with a . “Welcome to Paris, July 14th 1899\. Celebration of Bastille Day. I won't go into the details on what happened but it definitely had a great effect on France and many other places.” He turned her ever so slowly casually pointing to the giant structure that had many lights over its frame lighting the shape against the night sky. “Over there is the Eiffel Tower, named after the man who created the structure.”

She gasped at the lit up structure, “How do they light all the torches?”

The Doctor chuckled, “luckily a few years ago something called a light bulb came into being. No need to go around lighting torches or lanterns anymore.” He smirked at the thought of one breaking, “still have to replace them if they no longer work of course. Just flip a lever and they all go on.”

Clara stared in wonder then turned to the room behind them staring inside. Stepping inside it clearly looked like any other travelers inn room she had been visited in her time and she took a guess they would be moving on shortly. “How long will we be here for?”

He stood standing on the balcony his hands loosely behind his back, “We'll be staying here in Paris till tomorrow afternoon before we go onto a train.”

“A train?”

“It's almost like a car. It's a long series of carriages and it rides on a metal track. We'll be traveling to Venice and stay there for a few days.” The Doctor watched as Clara walked around the room, “Do you like it?”

Clara smiled at his question as it was almost the same when he had asked her about the bed in the cave. She didn't know if dragons just wanted to make sure their guests, if they ever had any, were comfortable or that the Doctor was trying to impress her. She looked over to him still watching her, “Lullin said that I did something to impress you. Why you wanted a – ,” she paused only slightly as she thought about using mate or companion. She didn't know if she would scare him if she used mate so she decided to follow Lullin's advice, “a traveling companion.”

The Doctor noticed the awkward pause, his mind raced wondering if Lullin had seen the signs and told Clara. She wouldn't have been here if she knew he wanted her to be more than a companion, would she? He pushed the thought to dwell on for later, “You enjoyed the trip to New York, so I thought you might enjoy some more adventures with me.” He smiled then realized that the night time festivities would soon begin and motioned for her to come back out to the balcony. “Oh come back over, the fireworks should be starting soon.”

Clara looked at him in confusion as she walked back to the balcony, “Fire - works?”

“You'll see.”

Clara was awestruck as the explosion of blues, whites and reds started to appear in the night sky with a boom happening a few moments later after each flash of color. Upon the first extremely loud boom she grabbed the Doctor in a slightly frightened hug which caused him to stand awkwardly.

The Doctor looked down to her as she clung to him tightly at first then slowly released her grip as she heard the thumping in his chest. She pulled away and looked up to him with a look of surprise on her face. “What's wrong with your heart?”

He softly smiled to her, “What you were hearing is the sound of two hearts beating. I might look human but the transformation only makes me look human.”

Clara rested her head on his chest once more to which the Doctor once again stood stiffly. She had noticed his awkward stance when she had clung to him from the fireworks, “Why do you stand stiff when I'm hugging you?”

He sighed almost like he failed at something, “Hugging is still new to me. This form I've only used to watch over humans, not interact with them.”

“Well when someone hugs you you usually put your arms around them like they do.”

“I can not put my arms around you like you are doing to me. You're short. Why are human females so short?”

She looked up to him looking down with a curious look on his face, “You don't have to bend down just put your arms around my body.” She rested against his chest once again as the final few fireworks popped off in the sky. Her cheek ran against the fabric of his shirt, it was thin material but it wasn't exactly warm. “Are you cold?”

“I have a lower body temperature. Not cold blooded and not warm blooded either but if you stay close I'll warm up.”

Clara smiled at the last bit of his comment and was curious to what dragons did for courting. “So are female dragons warm?”

“No. The only difference is that they are larger.”

“So you have to prove yourself to them when you want a companion?”

“Quite.” He stiffed more in realization of the question she had asked, “Lullin told you didn't she?”

She looked up to him and nodded, “Yes.”

His eyes went wide, he needed to explain himself that he wasn't going to push himself onto her, “Clara I-”

“I'm here aren't I?”

“Yes but -”

Clara smiled as she interrupted him again at his attempt to explain himself. “Let's call this a first courtship. Prove yourself to me.”

The Doctor didn't know what to think as Clara put her arms properly around him like before. She stopped him from trying to explain and challenged him. She was right though, she was here knowing that he wanted her more than a companion. He was going to do everything within his power to prove himself to her with the first thing being proper hug. An arm went around her shoulders with another below that as he put her arms around her. “Is this right?”

“Now you need to relax and enjoy the hug.”

 _Enjoy the hug._ That was something he could do every moment she pressed herself against him as her warmth was intoxicating. He relaxed and tightened his arms around her a little more pressing her closer to him.

Clara smiled as she heard his hearts beat faster, “Good. Perfect hug.”

 


	12. Chapter 12

The Doctor stood on the balcony with the top 3 buttons of his shirt undone and his eyes closed as he felt warmth of the morning sun come over the horizon. While dragons weren't cold-blooded the Doctor enjoyed a good sit under the sun to warm him up a bit. His mind drifted around as he thought about why he did it then smiled as he came to best conclusion; it was like a hug. When it's just right its embrace fills one with warmth and happiness. _This is why humans hugged when sad_ , he thought to himself when he thought back to when Clara hugged him while she was crying.

He was so entranced in thought that he didn't hear Clara wake up and climb out of bed then watched him stand still at the balcony for a few minutes. His eyes quickly opened as he felt something pass on either side of him then wrap around his torso. He only then calmed after hearing her softly yawn behind him, “What are are you doing?”

He looked down to her seeing her arms wrapped around him with her hands gently rubbing against his vest as she hugged him and pressed herself into his back. “Enjoying the morning.” His mind and body betrayed him as he started to let out a soft purr as he enjoyed the feeling of her wrapped around him. Sadly it was a short lived feeling as he quickly realized what he was doing in response and gently pulled away, “sorry.”

Clara looked to him with confusion. She could hear and even feel the gentle vibration that had come from him. Why did he pull away? Was it because of the purring? Clara took guess that he was embarrassed on what would be a normal dragon thing which didn't actually faze her at all and softly smiled towards him, “don't be embarrassed about purring.”

He leaned against the corner of the balcony railing still trying to hide his face from her, “I just didn't know if you would understand.”

“It's a nice surprise.” She gently put her hand on his forearm and gently tugged turning him around, “As for understanding, I didn't know dragons had two hearts.” Clara giggled in thought, “Or that girl dragons were larger.”

He smirked at her attempt to cheer him up which was working, “I am still trying to understand why human females are smaller.” He looked to her still smiling face which caused a tingle inside of him, “The roles are the same but you can not protect yourself from encroaching males trying to mate with you.”

Clara laughed softly before putting her hand to his chest and patted softly, “Because most of the time we don't have to worry about encroaching males.”

The Doctor sighed and furrowed his brow in thought, “There is a lot I still need to learn.”

A gentle knock to the room door made the both of them turn to look at it. A voice from the other side spoke something that Clara couldn't understand. The Doctor called out in the same odd language and started to move to the door before Clara gently pulled on him to question. “What was that? What were you speaking?”

  
“Oh right you don't understand yet. It's French and that's the seamstress I had requested with some clothes for you for the time period.”

“Does everyone speak this?” Clara paused as she thought about when they were in New York they had spoken a slightly odd type of English, “no, that wold mean New York would have spoken it too.”

The Doctor smiled at her cleverness, “The world is a lot bigger than you know Clara. I just haven't told you of it.”

“You don't want to scare me.”

“Yes.”

Clara smirked, “Well I'm one of the few that think the world is round. Does that help?”

The Doctor smirked as he was relived to hear what she said. The medieval ages went through many a change on the thought of how the world and universe worked. To hear that his Clara didn't believe such non-sense as a flat disc like world was comforting, “yes, yes it does. We should let the seamstress in so she can dress you and we can go around the city.”

Clara's eyes went wide as the well dressed woman came in with a few other girls that carried very full bags. After a what seemed like an hour had passed Clara spoke from behind the folding privacy screen, “This is a lot of layers. And tight.”

The Doctor tilted his head slightly then spoke in French towards the seamstress. He wasn't knowledgeable on women's fashion but wanted to make sure everything was in order. When the seamstress replied he spoke to Clara, “It's because you're not wearing the corset that I demanded she leave off. Clothes in this time were a bit more tight.”

“Corset?”

He waved his hand as he spoke regardless of Clara not being able to see him, “A torture device for women. Don't worry about it you won't have to deal with it.”

“Well then,” Clara slowly walked from behind the screen, with the seamstress and her assistants moving out of the way, and looked to the Doctor, “how do I look?”

The Doctor smiled looking at her dressed in a white form fitting blouse with slightly poofy upper sleeves and a dark blue floor length skirt, “like a beautiful maiden of the 1890s.” He looked to the seamstress and started conversation between them before they took the other items and left the room. The Doctor smiled grabbing the small coat that completed the ensemble that was hanging on the edge of the screen and held it open so Clara could put it on. “They should have a few more outfits for you before we need to make the train.”

Clara smiled and put the coat on, “So where to Doctor?”

“Saying it's near noon and we've already past breakfast. Lunch?” The Doctor buttoned his shirt up and then offered his arm for Clara to take hold of.

Clara giggled and took his arm, “Yes, though I don't know how I'm going to eat properly with these tight clothes.”

“That's why tea was invented.”

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if this chapter is a hard read as it jumps through the day. My concentration was complete crap the past week so it has possibly effected this. Will go back and edit right before I post next chapter! Thank you!

As they walked through the city they found a small restaurant so they could have lunch. The Doctor sat and watched as Clara ate the roasted quail he had ordered for her along along with a slice of spiced apple tart for desert. Clara still questioned why he wasn't joining her which he once again stated that he wasn't hungry and that she should enjoy the meal regardless of him joining her. Once finished they went on their way grabbing a carriage to head to the seamstress' shoppe for the rest of Clara's clothes that the Doctor had ordered. Clara was slightly confused on why she was getting more clothes but the Doctor didn't order more for himself. She wondered if his clothes were just an illusion along with his form but as she thought back to hugging him the soft fabric beneath her hands felt very real.

As they stepped inside Clara was amazed by patterns of fabrics lining the walls and walked over entranced by the different textures and patterns, ignoring the conversation the Doctor and seamstress were having behind her. After a few moments Clara jumped slightly as the Doctor gained her attention, “Clara the seamstress needs to do some final fixes on your dress. We evidently rushed them out before they were done.”

After moving Clara into the back changing areas and away from the Doctors listening ears the seamstress glared speaking to her in English, “Your grandfather is an idiot.”

Clara looked to her in surprise that the seamstress was now speaking English to her as the Doctor had to translate just this morning. Why did she not speak it before? “He's not my grandfather.”

“Of course now you speak!” The seamstress sighed and shook her head frustrated that she could now talk the girl in French, “Whatever he is, you'll never impress a proper suitor without wearing a corset. Unless you like being a harlot.”

Questions ran through Clara's head as to why the seamstress questioned her ability to speak but left them to be answered later by the Doctor as she had to answer to the insult the seamstress just spoke. “I'm not a harlot. The Doctor said they were torture devices. Why would one want to wear a torture device all the time?”

The woman started to chuckle and shake her head, “Ah a doctor, now I understand why. He's most likely seen enough women faint to think that it's the corsets fault. One isn't suppose to lace them tightly, just enough to help support the back and to enhance a woman's figure. ”

“You think he'll notice if I put one on?”

“Yes but stand your ground!”

Clara nodded, “That I can do.”

 

After a few moments of waiting for a simple dress alteration, which was taking longer than it should have, the Doctor called out from the front of the store. “Everything alright in there? We need to leave shortly.”

Clara walked out with a small smile with the seamstress following carrying a few garment bags with her, “Yes, sorry. How do I look?”

The Doctor smiled, “still beautiful.”

 

\------------------------------------------

 

 

Clara gasped and clung to the Doctor as they stood on the train platform looking to the train that would take them to Venice. When the Doctor had spoke of it being like a car of the future she was expecting something smaller than the giant black metal engine letting loose some pressure from the boiler. The Doctor looked down to her watching her reaction, which to him looked like a combination of fear and curiosity. He gently brought his finger tips under her chin to turn her attention towards him, “Alright?”

She nodded and laughed a little nervously, “Y-yes. I just didn't think it was gigantic and loud.”

“Maybe my explanation wasn't as grand as it should have been. I will try to do better next time.”

Clara smiled in response to his answer. It was actually thrilling to get an idea of what something was then be surprised to what the thing actually looked or acted like. “No, I like the surprise.”

The Doctor returned her smile before looking towards the train cars, “We should find our seats, the train will be leaving shortly.”

 

Clara was amazed at the size of the carriage and that it housed multiple private walled areas for people to sit in, including the one they were currently in. The Doctor informed her that it was a class of seating and that others who couldn't afford rode in another carriage where there was hardly any privacy. A conductor passed asking for their tickets before the train was to depart with Clara looking to the conductor as he too spoke English. After the conductor left Clara looked to the Doctor, who was sitting across from her, finally asking the question that had been running through her mind since the seamstress, “Did he speak English?”

The Doctor smiled softly, “No. I was wondering how long it would take. I have an innate ability to allow companions to understand any language that I know. You're actually the first one I've used it on.”

Clara smiled, “Now I get why you told me that I don't understand yet. Also why I could talk with the seamstress.”

“Yes quite. Speaking of which,” he looked at her with concern, “I hope the corset isn't giving you problems.”

“I hope you're not mad with me?”

“Just concerned.”

“She said it's not supposed to be laced so tight one can not breathe. Just enough to support and enhance. Whatever enhance means.”

“To improve. In this case to make ones curves to look better. Your time period wasn't so much about curves but how well you ate. Which meant what class you belonged to. Later on, beauty was all about being skinny. Luckily it changed once again to having a healthy balanced figure.”

Clara smirked at the Doctors small story of fashion through the years, “The future is quite odd.”

He nodded and smiled, “Yes it is.”

 

 

It was the middle of the night as the train hurried down the track to its destination. Clara was leaned up against the Doctor her head on his shoulder as she slept through the trip. The Doctor was of course wide awake watching the country side run pass the dimly lit carriage. He looked down as he felt Clara's hand half sleepily grasping onto his hand. He was curious on how even in his human form her hand could still be small against his own . The feeling of her warm soft skin against his felt right. Like the hug the morning before it made him tingle inside as a purr softly came from him once again.

Clara giggled softly as she was gently woken up by the sound, “You're like a cat.”

The Doctor smirked in thought as he quickly compared cats to dragons. “A lot of things dragons do are cat like. We're just not fur covered mammals.”

Clara yawned, “Just spectacular jeweled lizards.”

“Well just my type. Others are metallic or actual lizard scales.” The Doctor sighed as he thought back to when he wasn't the only one. How he wanted to share dragon culture with Clara. Then again she would only be a human, a dumb human to them. Yet she was a brilliant, clever, and small human to him.

Clara softly spoke she could hear the sadness in his sigh. It was apparent he missed being around more of his kind. “I know you're the only one, Lullin told me of the great war that happened.”

He looked up to her in surprise,“She did?”

“Yes. She didn't tell me what happened, just that they just wiped themselves out.”  
  
He sighed once more and nodded. “Yes, quite.”

“You don't have to tell me now. Or ever. Just know that I'm here with you.”

The Doctor softly smiled, “I hope you're having a good time?”

She smiled back to him before resting her head once more on his shoulder, “Would have liked to have stayed in Paris longer.”

He nodded and leaned his head against hers, “We will do that for another trip. Go back to sleep my Clara.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 13 is not edited. After reading it doesn't need it all is well carry on.

Clara woke to the Doctor gently rubbing at her arm as the sun rose over the country side as the train went passed. A simple morning tea was brought to them this time with the Doctor watching her which was starting to make her feel confused on why he didn't eat even she tried to ask him like she had before. Afterwards Clara sat next to the window watching the green grass of the land pass by for the longest time till it suddenly became all water as the train passed over the bridge. She looked down seeing that they were now on a small sliver of land then back up seeing what could see a small boat in the distance. “Why are we going over a lake?”

The Doctor smiled, “more like Laguna Veneta, the Venetian lagoon. Which has access ways into the Adriatic Sea.”

Clara looked over to the Doctor in surprise, “the sea? You didn't tell me we were going to the seaside.”

“Why?”

She smiled, “I've never seen the sea. Just bogs and lakes.”

“Good thing I planned for a stroll on the beach to where we are staying.”

Clara's eyes lit up in surprise as she jumped out of her seat and almost fell onto the Doctor as she went to hug him, “Oh thank you.”

The Doctor once again stiffened as her expressive reaction of being seaside was surprising. After a moment he finally put his arms around her just as the train was slowing down for its stop at the platform. “And we're here. Ready?”

Clara leaned back still with a smile on her face and nodded, “ready.”

 

After they walked through the small alleyways and streets of a good portion of the small island the Doctor hailed a carriage to take them near the hotel and the beach side. Clara's eyes widened as she finally set her gaze out to the beach and what seemed like a never ending ocean in front of it.

“Would you like to go out on the beach?” The Doctor smiled at her as he watched her expression be more surprise-filled.

“Yes!”

He gently took her hand and took her down the wooden steps that led to the beach where small number of people were already visiting. Once they stepped into the sand Clara bent down and undid her shoes and took off her hosiery as well so she could run barefoot and feel the water.

“Don't get close in that dress, the waves could grab you and pull you out. Will be hard to swim back with all the layers.” He leaned over closer, “And I don't want to scare anyone if I were to become a dragon.”

Clara nodded, “I'll try to be careful.”

Clara giggled as her feet walked over and sunk slightly into the warm sand as she walked towards the water. The Doctor watched her laugh and run through the waves as they gently rolled up on the beach. He watched her see something on the beach then rushed over to two small young boys making a sand castle. She made some small talk with them as they started to show her how to work the sand into a shape. He smiled to her as she looked back to him, the familiar tingle as the mating bond was solidifying. He just hoped that she truly understood what she had agreed to.

Clara walked backed to the Doctor, “This is so amazing. I can see now why you wanted to come here. Why didn't we just go straight here?”

“I like the simplicity of traveling.” He smiled, “makes everything more enjoyable. Anyway we should check in with the hotel for a room.”

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

Clara woke up during the middle of the night to roll over into a new comfortable position opening her eyes to look out of the open balcony doors before realizing the Doctor was sat at the small table in the corner. She wouldn't have known he was there as the corner of the room was pitch dark but his eyes were in their dragon form and softly illuminated giving him away. It almost startled her when she noticed but it was almost like a cats eyes as they caught the light. “Do you ever sleep?”

He slowly blinked before he replied, “Yes.”

She leaned up on one arm and smiled holding out her other hand beckoning him to bed, “Come sleep with me.”

“Not tired.”

“I hardly doubt that anyone would harm me if that's the reason why you're up.”

Of course he didn't have to really protect her in 1899. There were still thieves that could try to barge in to rob them but he would easily deal with them. There were other forces at work as to why he hardly ever slept outside of his cave and he didn't have the hearts to tell her. “I have a duty of care to protect you. It's a dragon thing.”

Clara smirked as she saw his eyes look away from her as he answered. She knew it wasn't just a 'dragon thing' and needed to know, “Doctor.” She frowned as he didn't look back to her and slid out from under the covers walking up to him with a soft smile. “What do I need protection from in 1899?”

The Doctor looked at Clara. While he didn't need to use his dark vision to keep watch on her due to the street lights outside softly filtering in, it did allow him to see places not touched by the light. Doing this sadly made everything lose its color making him see only in the greyscale. He was intrigued in how Clara looked as she stood in front of him, the light giving her a slight halo effect around her due to it's brightness being amplified slightly.

Clara smirked as he didn't answer her and was just staring, “Well?”

He cleared his throat as he was caught staring at her clearly having a question to answer, “thieves.”

She giggled as his answer seemed silly, she figured there were still thieves in the future but as they only came into the city with only a chest of clothes she guessed that any rogues would not be interested in them. “Thieves stealing my clothes? I think here you can act like a human. Instead of a dragon who watches me sleep.”

“But I'm not human so why would I be one?”

Clara giggled in thought about what Lullin said when they first met, intelligent but stupid, “so we can be in bed together. Even if you don't sleep.”

“Oh right.” His eyes returned to normal as he willed his vision back to normal and stood up as Clara was smiling to him.

“I hate to ask a silly question but do your clothes come off?”

“Yes.”

“Oh good. I was afraid that they were attached to you.”

The Doctor chuckled slightly as he could only guess on why she had asked. Was it possible she had thought they were apart of him as he never changed them? “I understand. I do change my clothes by the way. I just like the coat.”

Clara smiled, “I kind of like it too. Anyway why I asked is that you might be more comfortable without the coat and shoes when we go lay down.”

He pursed out his lips and furrowed his brow in thought then nodded, “you are possibly right. I was not comfortable when I've tried it.”

“I thought you've never used beds?”

“I don't but I have laid in the one in the cave.”

“Well let's properly lay in a bed.” Clara smiled and leaned over taking the Doctors hand gently pulling him towards the bed.

The Doctor watched Clara go on the other side of the bed after letting go of his hand. He removed his shoes and socks as he believed that Clara would possibly ask for him to do so as well since she too was barefoot. He placed then nearby the bed then stood up removing his coat placing it on the end of the bed before he finally joining Clara and pulling the covers over him with Clara already underneath the covers on her side.

Clara giggled a little as she could tell he was unsure of how to really lay in a bed. “Is it alright?”

“Not sure, it is better with less clothing.”

The Doctor felt Clara shift more towards him till he turned his head watching her move to lay partially on him with her head on his chest and a arm around his torso. Even though they were vertical he thought that this was like a hug. More so one could curl up with another, like what dragon pairs would do in a gold pile. He closed his eyes as he felt her warmth against his body.

Clara felt the contented exhale one would do when they were comfortable, “Knew you would like it.”

“Of course I like it. Now sleep my Clara.”

“My Clara. You've said that a few times now.”

“Yes, is it alright?”

“It's the bond right?”

He nodded, “yes.”

Clara looked up, smiled, then shifted up to kiss him on the cheek, “Then it's alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry it took so long for this update. The story isn't forgotten! Just concentration and what I want them to be doing has been more difficult in writing as of late. Thank you all for sticking with me.


	15. Chapter 15

It was going to be dawn in less than an hour and the Doctor couldn't stand to be in bed anymore. He wanted so much to curl up with the warmth of Clara for the whole night but the anger and fear had been building up inside him over the course of the night. He never wanted to have a repeat of what happened to his mate and hatchlings happen ever again. The thought was rolling around his head. Sadly the Doctor wasn't very stealthy when it came to getting out of bed causing Clara to wake startled and slightly confused. “Doctor?”

His voice shook as he tried to calm down from the agitation that was bothering him, “I'm sorry to have woken you.”

Clara looked at him in surprise that he seemed afraid, “Is everything alright?”

“Yes.”

She looked at him oddly as he started to disappear. “Where are you going?” She had never seen what happened to them when they went back in time but saying they reappeared in a new place she figured that this was what was going on.

The Doctors voice echoed, “Stay there I will be right back.”

“Doctor.”

“I promise.”

 

Clara sighed and started to get out of bed about to walk to where the Doctor had been before she heard his voice behind her, “Breakfast.”

She turned around seeing the Doctor still as he was when he left but now carrying a tray full of food. She turned to glance out at the still night sky then looked to the Doctor with a smirk, “it's not even dawn.”

The Doctor gave a soft smile as he took the tray to the small corner table sitting it down before sitting down in a chair, “I just thought we could get an early start to the day.”

“Do you have something to eat?”

“No.”

Clara sighed and sat in the other chair looking to the eggs, bacon, toast and few other food items that she didn't recognize before looking back up to the Doctor. “Why don't you eat?”

“I usually eat once a month. Stray cows, sheep and sometimes deer.” He chuckled for a quick moment as he remembered the hot dog in New York, “The hot dog was a guilty pleasure and I did have room then.”

“Could you eat like a human? Two or three meals a day?”

He shrugged, “I've never tried.”

“Will you?” Clara leaned forward taking the fork and gathered up a decent bite up egg and held it up for the Doctor to take.

He smiled at the gesture then shook his head for a moment, “Thank you but I, um, ate out of boredom while waiting for you to accept my request so I really am not hungry.”

She giggled speaking her response before she ate the awaiting egg on her fork, “okay.”

He watched her slowly eat for a few moments. He wondered if she was expecting him to be human and not the dragon that he was. He leaned forward to remind her of the fact, “Clara don't expect me to be human. I am a dragon and - “

She took another bite of the breakfast before putting her fork down, “I know.”

“Would you like to understand dragons?”

Clara smiled softly, “I would like to understand you.”

“Is there anything you want to know?”

She sighed, “I know breakfast wasn't the real reason you got up. Something scared you.” She started at him for a few moments asking before he could reply, “Is it me?”

“No. Never.”

“Then what is it?”

“Dragon stuff.”

Clara frowned and slightly huffed as it was apparent she was annoyed with his answer, “You told me to ask you what I wanted to know. Telling me 'dragon stuff' isn't telling me anything. Especially when I could hear it in your voice.”

He leaned back into the chair as if he was trying hide his face which was becoming harder to do as the morning sun started to come up and filter into the room.

“Doctor.”

The Doctor sighed as he knew Clara wouldn't stop asking why he wouldn't be able to nest through the night with her. He felt embarrassed as dragons usually shrugged off death of mates and hatchlings and moved on but he was always an odd dragon. An odd dragon now with a human mate, one that wanted to understand him. He exhaled and kept his gaze towards the floor as he finally gave insight to his reluctance to sleep, “The last time I slept through a night one of two worst things happened in my life. It's taken me a long time to even rest in my treasure pile for any longer than a David Bowie album.”

He saw her feet shift on the floor indicating she was moving over to him to give him a hug. “Clara, it was a long time ago. I'm fine.” He looked up seeing her sit herself down into his lap and put her arms around his neck as she went into a hug with his arms easily now going around her body in response, “Clara... I said I'm okay.”

“Then why did you rush off? You're not okay.”

“Because I didn't want to hurt you.”

Clara leaned up looking to him in confusion, “Hurt me?”

“You're right I didn't leave to get breakfast, I left to ravage a forest to calm myself.” He frowned, “it's how I feel sometimes when I try to sleep, I wake up thinking it's happening all over again and I go into a rage. I had to leave so I didn't harm anyone.”

Her fingers came up to rub at his check gently, “it's okay.”

He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the softness of her fingers against his face. His hands gently lowered themselves to her lower back softly rubbing at her in return. He opened his eyes after he felt something softly graze against his lips seeing Claras face pull back from his own, “what did you do?”

She smiled, “Never been kissed before?”

His body tingled now knowing it was a kiss. His first kiss, second if he was honest if he counted the kiss last night. He shook his head slightly, “Dragons don't have lips. So once again we're like cats; nuzzle, lick, or nip at our mates.”

Clara smiled a little wider and leaned towards him bringing her lips up to his once again. Before leaning back to see his face she opened her mouth to gently nip his bottom lip causing him to gently exhale. “Good?”

The Doctor nodded his head looking at her intently. His hearts were racing by the tingling the kisses were sending down his spine. His hand slowly moved up her back to lean her forward bringing their lips together once more. He had seen and read about kissing a lot of times but to finally actually feel what one felt like pushed aside what had troubled him moments ago.

Clara pulled her head away after a few moments as she was craving breath and the Doctor didn't seem to need it. “Okay can't hold my breath any longer.”

A soft contented groan came from him, his eyes the bright bluish grey dragon form, as he stared at Clara. “Sorry, I will remember that for next time.”

“Why do your eyes go to your dragon eyes?”

“Not all magic can contain dragon abilities.”

“What ability are you trying to use?”

“To finish the bond with you.” His hands gently continued to rub softly at her back feeling her rapid heart beat and warmth, “if you will let me.”

Clara nodded slowly and leaned forward once again pressing their lips together as the Doctor lifted Clara up and took her to the bed gently laying her down.

 


	16. Chapter 16

Upon laying her down the Doctor slid his hands eagerly underneath her thin nightgown. The warm soft nakedness beneath his hands brought a soft dragon-like groan from him. He could smell the hint of her arousal as he leaned down and pushed the fabric of her night gown up just below her breasts. His hands gently grasped her waist to hold her down as he started to nuzzle and kiss above her navel. Dragons have sensitive underbellies, a weakness but also one of many actual erogenous zones to tease a mate with, and he was curious if humans were the same.

Clara giggled as his actions were tickling her, “What are you doing?”

He spoke as he continued to plant kisses on her stomach, “answering silent questions.”

“What questions?”

He smirked as he started to move lower now kissing below her navel, “if what I knew with dragon mates works with a human.”

She let out a soft moan as he slowly licked a small patch of skin, “I'll let you know.”

“Mmmm, quite.” Dragons were like any animal regardless of intelligence and he could have just taken Clara without having to engage in foreplay beyond gentle stomach kisses. He wanted their first time together to be enjoyable like any other human mating done before and last for as long as it possibly could. His hands slid down her hips and to her legs, parting them as he brought the kisses to the inside of a thigh.

Clara moaned and gripped at the sheets as his mouth cupped her sex slowly running his tongue between her folds. She hadn't known what to expect; possibly for him to take her and then to be done. Not to caress, tease and pleasure her but it was her first time she wouldn't have known what to expect anyway. Either dragons were more than just animals or the Doctor wanted to be more than one to her. She gasped and reached down grasping onto his hair as she felt his tongue run over her now sensitive clit. “Doctor.”

The Doctor looked up with the sudden call out, “is everything alright?”

She nodded and smiled, “I just wasn't expecting this.”

The Doctor slowly moved back up hovering over Clara looking at her flushed face, “Expecting that I would take you like an animal for your first time?” He smirked as he watched her nod, “I might be a dragon but I don't want our first time together to be like that.” He leaned down to gently kiss her for a moment, “though I am still trying to understand when a male is aroused how one can continue about in trousers.”

Clara giggled as her hands went to his shirt starting to unbutton it, “good thing we're not going to 'continue about' with our clothes still on.”

The Doctor gently squeezed his hands that were on her hips letting out a drawn-out groan once again before he moved them to his belt undoing it and the fasteners on his trousers letting the fabric pool to his feet. Once Clara had finished unbuttoning his shirt he removed it letting that fall to the floor as well. He helped her finally remove her night gown as well casually tossing the pile of fabric somewhere hopefully to the floor.

Clara looked down to his naked torso as he climbed back over her. He was thin with some dark and grey hair peppered on his chest with some also on his lower belly. She brought her hands up to his chest feeling the coolness of his skin which started to warm to her own. As he brought her hands down she felt the muscles underneath shift and felt him inhale suddenly as her fingers started to graze over his stomach. She slightly giggled as she looked up into his eyes, “ticklish?”

“No.” His eyes stared back into hers. Her large brown eyes. She had one last chance for her to turn away to be with another human, his mind chimed in. “Clara this is the last chance you have to change your mind.”

“I know.” One of her hands came up to caress his cheek, “I accept this. I want to be with you, you silly dragon.”

Upon hearing the words the Doctor quickly leaned down smashing their lips together with a hungry kiss. His hands stroked at her body before moving down to her legs parting them so he could guide himself to her entrance. The heat and wetness coming from her as he slowly pushed the head of his cock against her entrance was causing him to have to control himself otherwise he would hurt her if he let his animal side win.

Clara whimpered and quickly grasped at the sheets as he finally entered her. She closed her eyes and bit her lip as the sting of his size was something she didn't expect. Feeling the gentle brush of fingers against her cheek caused her to look up to the Doctor who had a sadness to his features. Clara softly smiled as the pain started to dissipate, “I'm okay.”

The Doctor only replied with a contented growling purr, his eyes still brightly illuminated as the sun started to filter into the room. Clara couldn't look away as his bluish grey dragon eyes started to entrance her. Soft whimpers escaped from her lips as he started to push inside ever so slowly stretching and filling her.

He calmly breathes as his hands take hold of hers, palms together and entwining their fingers together, pushing them onto the bed on either side of her. A low groan comes from him as he starts to slowly move inside her still weary of hurting her but from the parting of her lips and soft pants coming from her he knows he isn't now. Her legs hook around him letting him in deeper to her fiery core. He starts to pant now as the grip of the bond was taking its final steps to being permanent and to effect Clara as well.

She gasped as an odd tingle washed over her, her eyes still entranced by the Doctors as his pupils enlarged slightly. She started to mentally question if this how dragons bonded but to her surprise she felt she knew the answer as soon as she had asked it; yes.

They start to move together their pants coming at the same time. Soft moans pass their lips as their ecstasy started to climb along with the sun rise. Faster they start to move together the initial pain Clara had experienced now a distant memory with the desire for release having taken its place. Their gaze never leaving each other as their pacing became frantic.

Clara gasped and cried out as she came, finally able to shut her eyes as she writhed in ecstasy. She felt the Doctor had stilled inside her with a deep growl ending as soon as she had come back to her senses. Opening her eyes back up to look towards him she saw his eyes had returned to normal but still staring at her in longing as he calming his breath.

_Was that it?_ _Was that the bond?_ she thought as she was trying to catch her own breath.

_Yes. My Clara it is done._

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments!

Clara's eyes went wide as she heard him but didn't see his lips move or even actually heard him with her ears. It was more of a feeling that the words had been spoken from him like the question she had thought before. She sat up looking at him in surprise and a slight confusion, “W-what was that?”

The Doctor softly smiled, “I was answering the question you had asked.” He brought a hand up to cup her cheek gently rubbing his thumb against her soft skin feeling the confusion, “I'm sorry I should have told you.”

Clara could feel worry as he caressed her but could feel happiness behind it. It was strange to now know how he was feeling but curious if it would always happen, “is it always like this?”

“No, only when we touch is when we can feel what the other is feeling and thinking. The part where I'll know where you're always be at might just be me. I'm unsure if humans can even do that.”

 _Can feel_ , she brought a hand up and gently stroked his stomach while thinking in curiosity, _what you're feeling._ She felt him inhale like before and felt a tingle of what he was feeling, not of being tickled but of arousal. She looked down further to see that he was indeed hard once again.

“That was the question I had been asking, as dragons have a few sensitive spots for arousal. If you don't want to mate again so soon, I would suggest stopping.”

Clara giggled about him using the word 'mate' but slowly trailed her fingers lower softly smiling as the Doctor started to growl in arousal, “well saying you've taken my virginity and bonding is like marriage, yes?”

_Yes._

Clara smirked in response to him answering her mentally and looked up to reply the same way, _I think you should bed your mate some more_.

The Doctor's eyes widened for a moment then narrowed as he eagerly leaned in gently pushing Clara back down against the sheets, _I intend to._

Clara softly moaned as the Doctor slowly sunk into her once again wasting no time with starting off with a slow rhythm. His arms wrapped around her and hers around his neck as he sat the both of them up. She leaned her head back and moaned louder as the Doctor was hitting a sensitive spot from the position change.

The Doctor moaned along with her as her walls hot and wet gripped at him as he thrust into her. He could see why humans were into sex more than just mating as he felt the emotion from Clara and it was intoxicating. He groaned and buried his face into her neck as her walls gripped desperately trying to force him to join her as she came.

Soft kisses to her neck and his hands gripping at the soft skin of her backside caused Clara to continue some soft moans as she was coming down from her first wave burying her face into his shoulder as well. She could feel the enjoyment the Doctor was having with every sound she made. Her hands ran and gripped at the curls at the back of his head letting her know of another spot he enjoyed. _We're going to have to talk about dragon mating because it seems humans do it better_ , she thought.

He groaned as he surprisingly replied vocally in a deep aroused voice, “so, so much better. So good.”

Clara gasped as he started to drive himself into her like she had flipped a switch letting the animal out. She started to nip at his jaw making him bring his head up as they started sloppily tried to kiss as he was trying to nip at her in return. A few moments later she cried out once again with him joining her with a deep growl as they both came one after the other. Her hand gently caressed his cheek feeling his cool skin now being warm causing her to smile.

“Told you I would warm up,” he softly spoke with a purr following.

Clara smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder as they both came down from the exercise. “So about dragons.”

The Doctor chuckled still holding her against him, “the only thing that's this intense is chasing the intended mate.” He continued to purr while continuing the conversation mentally, _can focus on loving, pleasuring. Making the bond more than a mutual coupling of continuing the species._

He gently laid her back down onto the bed allowing to stretch out and get comfortable as he could tell the grasp of sleep was taking her. He laid beside her and eventually spooned up behind her as she rolled to her side letting his eyes close along side her.

 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

 

Clara woke up to feeling the Doctor's arms curled around her and his soft breaths against her neck. She expected a response as she could only guess that he would know when she woke but felt a happy dreamlike contentment coming from him. Smiling as she knew he was actually sleeping she slowly tried to roll trying not to wake him up so she could watch him sleep. She caressed his cheek which caused to stir slightly waking him. “Morning.”

The Doctor gave a sleepy chuckle as he knew it was the same day, “More like afternoon or even evening. Same day.”

“But you still slept.”

“Yes, yes I did.” He sighed knowing all too well that he couldn't get used to sleeping again as who would know if this was a temporary happenstance or an actual permanent one. “Though please understand if I don't always fall asleep with you.”

She nodded still caressing his cheek,“Its okay.” She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss, “Guess we can't do too much since it's going to be night soon.”

The Doctor smirked, “Or the time dragon that you've bonded to can take us to next morning with little effort.”

Clara giggled as it was a silly thing to have forgotten, “Oh right.” She watched the lighting that was filtering into the room quickly turn into evening, into night and then back into morning once again, “that's going to be something to get used to.”

“It will in time.”

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly telepathy (indicated by italics) in this chapter also FLUFF!

Clara tried not to giggle as she felt the Doctors purring mentally as they sat closely holding hands on the gondola ride through the passageways of Venice with the gondolier singing. If it wasn't for all the dragon quirks he would be no different from a very caring and loving man but she decided she wouldn't want it any other way. Her mind started to slowly wander in thought if he was like this even to another dragon.

“ _Yes and she had always thought me odd even though I proved myself and bonded with her.”_

Clara looked at the Doctor in surprise forgetting that they could read each other thoughts. _“Sorry I shouldn't have thought that.”_

He smiled leaning over giving her a small kiss on the cheek as an apology, “ _No I should be sorry it was a personal thought of yours. I should have took into account about it before, dragons are very upfront hence why the bond allows us to communicate mentally.”_

Clara sighed softly, she was worried that she would offend him in some way and was hoping that there was a way to keep personal questions to herself. “ _So really no way to hide your thoughts?”_

He continued to look to her smiling as he replied _, “No contact is one way otherwise I'm sorry my Clara. Do not worry though, I would never be offended by curious thoughts.”_

“ _Even if it's about the dragon war or anything you don't want to talk about?”_

“ _Even if its about those things.”_

Clara smirked _, “So she thought you odd?”_

“ _There are reasons why I find humans so fascinating Clara. Even though dragons have emotions we're not very emotional creatures when it comes to acts of love. Humans find a mate that they want to spend the rest of their lives with, not who's the strongest or most fertile.”_

The gondola returned back to its starting point causing pause to their conversation as they both exited with the gondolier helping Clara out and kissing her hand commenting how the Doctor was a lucky man. Clara giggled blushing looking at the Doctor smiling and holding his out towards her.

She gently took hold of the Doctors hand once again as they walked down the path with destination unknown, _“though sometimes we don't get a choice.”_

“ _Oh yes those silly royal arranged marriages. A long time ago I watched one, the first human custom I watched in fact. The same day I found out most humans mated for love from the princes true mate. The man was heartbroken having to watch his other get married.”_

Clara frowned, _“Do they ever finally get a choice? I mean for royalty.”_

The Doctor nodded, _“Yes but sadly not for a long time. The thought that a man and woman is a true pairing continues on for a couple thousand more years. Royalty included. Even further more that adopted children could carry the royal mark.”_ He looks up to a sign to a small bistro as they start to pass and points to it finally speaking vocally and not mentally, “It's getting to be tea. Would you like to eat now?”

Clara smiled, “Only if you can eat with me.”

The Doctor smirked, “You still insistent even when I said I might not be able to at this point in time.”

“A wife has to make sure her husband is taken care of.”

“Not when you're with me.” He gave her a look of wanting as he returned to the mental thought, _“Dragon males take care of the females.”_

She giggled going upon her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips, “Okay.”

“ _If we weren't in a time period where mating in the streets was taboo.”_ His voice trailed off into a mentally aroused growl towards Clara. His thoughts continued on about how they should have stayed in their room making love a few days more.

Clara gasped at his thoughts, _“Does that really happen? I mean the whole sex in the streets bit not multiple days of lovemaking.”_

“ _Sadly no. At least I haven't found one yet.”_ He smiled, “If you would like to eat we should go inside.”

“Okay.”

He opened the door for her and the both of them walked inside to which they were quickly seated. Food was ordered for Clara with the waiter being confused on why the Doctor didn't order till the Doctor conceded and ordered a small plate for himself. Hands were gently held onto with thoughts of happiness and love passed between them before the Doctor spoke mentally once again, _“I'm surprised you're handling the telepathy well. The speaking of our minds by the way.”_

“ _It feels natural for some reason. Would the bonding have to do anything with it?”_

“ _I'm very uncertain my Clara.”_

The food arrived and Clara pulled her hand away to eat for a few moments before looking to the Doctor who was slowly picking at his food. She brought her hand back over to his that was still resting on the table and took hold of it once more feeling the happiness that came about soon after. _“Everything alright?”_

“ _Yes.”_

Clara could feel the small wave of embarrassment coming from him and smiled, _“You enjoy it when we touch don't you?”_

He softly smiled and nodded _, “Your mind is so intoxicating. Like you.”_

She giggled as it felt like he wanted to take her immediately to their room once again, _“Now I have to ask if that's the bonding for you.”_

“ _No, well maybe yes. I haven't been bound to another being for almost a millennia. It is lonely to be by ones self, even mentally. Especially being used to a few hundred years of a bond to another.”_

“ _Well let me finish this meal and then we can go back to our room. You can enjoy more of my mind then.”_

The Doctor nodded and let Clara have her hand once more. He even ate half of his own meal to appeal to Clara's insistence to eating. Meals done and paid for they left taking a shortcut back to their room, which involved hiding in a secluded area and having the Doctor use his ability to travel back. Clothes were slowly taken off as soft loving kisses were given between them. They laid in bed spooned against each other as hands ran against skin softly.

The Doctor nuzzled his face against the back of her hair taking in the jasmine scent of her perfume. He purred as he spoke to her, _“What would my bond-mate like?”_

Clara smiled and softly moaned as the Doctors fingers gently played at her nipples, _“Stars.”_

“ _Then the stars you shall have.”_

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh a little more smut.

Clara leaned back on her arms and moaned as the third orgasm of the night passed over her. Opening her eyes she looked up to the twinkling stars and the full moon above as the Doctor continued to slowly move inside her from beneath her. She had thought the position they were in, her on top facing towards his feet and him beneath her only looking to her back, was strange but it proved to be just as amazing and then some. The warm night air swirled around them on the small grassy hilltop they were on. She didn't know where they were but even after time had passed was unsure if someone would not happen by them, “ _Won't someone see us?”_

“ _You're just now thinking this?”_

Clara gasped as he thrusted up deep inside her, _“I, oh gods, wasn't thinking about it before. I was distracted.”_

The Doctor chuckled mentally, “ _You do not have to worry of someone getting jealous of me pleasuring my mate. There is no one around here for miles or even millennia to think of such.”_ His hands gripped harder at her waist as he thrust deep inside her once more _, “allows us to make all the wonderful sounds we want as well.”_

Clara moaned once more feeling the Doctors response when she did, _“is this a dragon thing or a Doctor thing?”_

“ _Both.”_ He carefully rolled the both of them over putting Clara on her hands and knees as he started to rock faster into her.

Clara's hands ran through the grass gripping at it as she whimpered at the roughness of his thrusts but started to moan as the very familiar tingle started to come forth once again. She could feel the desire he always had with her but something else was seeping in. As she closed her eyes as her pleasure started to peak she could, in a sense, see the Doctor. But this wasn't a vision of the Doctor as a human or his dragon form but a hybrid of the two. Before she could see more of this form her orgasm came crashing down pulling her from the view. She cried out from the sensation along with the Doctor burying deep inside her spilling, almost roaring in the heat of the moment.

Once the Doctor had let go Clara finally collapsed onto the cool grass breathing hard, “Oh gods.”

The Doctor slumped over holding himself up so he wasn't laying on top of Clara, he too was breathing just as hard. “I got carried away a little”

She giggled slightly, “I'd say. Think I'm going to be sore though.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It's okay.” After finally calming down she rolled over onto her back seeing the Doctor still over her making sure she was alright. Softly smiling and bringing her hand up to caress his cheek and to see if she could see the same image as before but nothing appeared. “It was interesting. I could see you. Not human you but not a dragon you. A mix of both.”

The Doctors eyes widened causing him to sit besides her with a worried look to his face, “you could see that?”

Clara sat up looking at him in confusion, “What's wrong?”

“Nothing,” he softly smiled to her and brought his hands up as he leaned in to give her a soft kiss on her lips before he spoke as his fingers touched her temples, “sleep.”

 

 

\------------------------------------

 

 

Clara awoke in their room in Venice and stretched trying to recall everything during the night. Everything felt almost like a dream but she was definitely sore and naked with only a bed sheet covering her. Not feeling the Doctor in bed she looked up towards the balcony seeing him only in trousers and his shirt clearly unbuttoned staring out the balcony. “Doctor?”

He turned around and smiled to her, “How are you feeling?”

She rolled over making a small groan as her muscles told her they were all worked last night, “Sore.”

“I'm sorry I did get a bit rough.”

She sat up slowly as the Doctor walked towards her, “Where did we go last night?”

The Doctor sat down on the bed next to her and smirks, “we were here all night. You were bent over the balcony railing there.” He growls slightly and gives her a soft kiss on the cheek, “the moonlight was beautiful on you.”

She looked at him in confusion, “But I thought we were on a hilltop?”

“Ah,” he smirked, “another thing I can do. It's only suggestions though as I can't force you to do anything against your will.”

“So you made me think we were on a hilltop?”

“I'm sorry if you don't like it. I won't do it again.”

“Doctor I could have sworn you took us somewhere other than our room.” She put her hand on his chest to feel his thoughts but they were of concern and sadness. “Oh.”

“I thought you would have liked it? We can go to a lovely grassy field for real if you'd like.”

She worked on trying to recall the night, all the wonderful orgasms, the odd positions but then something was off. A memory that was there but she couldn't recall it. It was almost like when she woke up in his cave the first time.

The Doctor could feel the confusion growing and cupped her cheek to try to comfort her, “I'm sorry my Clara I shouldn't have done it. I didn't realize your mind would be so confused over it.”

“It's okay, I guess.” She gave a soft smile and brought her hand down playing with the edge of the bed sheet, “I know we have a day or so left but I want to see how my father is doing. I've never been gone so long before and I've always been used to being around him."

“We can arrive back moments after we left. You shouldn't have to worry about him.”

“I know but I don't want that. It would confuse him if we said we had a wonderful week holiday but only left for a few blinks of an eye to him. I only want to use it if necessary.”

The Doctor cocked his head to the side. Humans had always intrigued him especially when it came to powerful abilities being dropped in their laps. They always want it but when they have it, and they have goodness in their hearts, will never use it, “of course, whatever my dragoness desires.”

Clara giggled a little, “dragoness?”

“Oh,” the Doctor blushed embarrassment after realizing what he had called her, “it's of course to denote a female dragon but you're not one.”

“It's alright. I kind of like it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now why would the Doctor hide something like that?


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I use the term "wyrm" to describe the Doctor in his dragon form. In D&D it's a size/age appropriate name. In the scheme of things he really is a "great wyrm" as he is at his max size and decently aged but Lullin is being kind to him and not flat out calling him old. Also we get a hint of what Lullin is as well.
> 
> Hope everyone has also enjoyed the first episode of the new season! The feels in that one was strong.

David got up and rushed over to Clara as she and the Doctor suddenly appeared outside the small cottage as Lullin and him were enjoying their afternoon smoke. “Clara!” He gives her a large hug before realizing the odd styling of fabric surrounding her. “Child what are you wearing?”

Clara smirked and giggled as she pulled away from her confused father and twirled slowly around, “This is what they wear in 1899 father. Do you like it?”

David did have to admit the clothing made her look like royalty which is something he could have never given her, “1899?”

Clara giggled, “Father remember the Doctor can take us anywhere in time.”

Lullin suddenly spoke while giving Clara a concerned look, ”Yet you come back after five days?”

“Well I didn't want to confuse him more than we had to.”

Lullin smirked, “good because he was confused when I was surprised you two didn't come back that same day. It was difficult to explain.” She looked up the Doctor seeing a strange look on his face. It was one she was slightly familiar with. “I need to talk to the dragon anyway.”

Clara nodded and grinned, “I have a lot of things to talk to father as well. I'm sure he would want to hear about our trip.”

 

 

The Doctor and Lullin casually walked a ways off in the distance till they could no longer hear Clara and her father talking, even with their heightened senses. It was rare to have the Doctor to give her a worrisome look but when it happened it was for good reasons. “I assumed you have bonded?”

The Doctor nodded his hands clasped behind his back, “Yes.”

“So what is the problem?”

“She could see my true form during an intense,” he paused not really knowing how to describe what happened into nicer words, “session.”

Lullin smirked looking to him knowing exactly what he meant, “I'm a grown being doctor, you were fucking.”

He huffed at her bluntness, he was used to it of course but still wished she wouldn't be, “Anyway, my previous mate never gave notice to such a sight.”

“Well the best explanation is you've found your true mate.”

He stopped in his tracks looking Lullin who kept going for a few steps more before realizing he had stopped. He shook his head, “true mate. Nonsense.”

Lullin smirked, “says the time traveling dragon talking to a fallen angel.”

The Doctor sighed, it was ridiculous thought but Lullin was right as they lived in a world where dragons, angels and other non-human creatures roamed. So maybe soul mates wasn't so far off but to him a human being the soul mate to a dragon was still a reach. “I still don't think it possible between a human and a dragon.”

“It happens more than you think.”

“Well I don't. I don't want my mate to think I'm a monster.”

Lullin suddenly bellowed in laughter, “listen to yourself. A monster? You're a dragon bonded to a human.” She took a moment to calm herself as she watched the Doctor start to glare at her, “A human that seems very happy with you. One that can see your true self. How did she react to the vision?”

“Curious.” He waved his hand to signal that the conversation should end. “I blocked that memory.”

Lullin glared, “you really are stupid. What happens if it happens again? Or something else appears that you don't want to talk about? She's going to be a husk of a human because you've blocked her ability to remember.”

“That's not going to happen.”

“No it damn well won't because you will be telling her the truth. She will see it again especially when the bond gets stronger as it finalizes it's entanglement between you two.” She sighs and pauses to calm herself once more before walking up bringing a hand up to caress his cheek, “you are a beautiful creature.”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes towards her with a growl growing from deep within, “abomination.”

Lullin narrowed her eyes and promptly smacked his cheek with her hand before pointing her finger at him, “bad dragon stop thinking that.”

“Do not hit me.”

“You need sense knocked into you. She is your mate, your true mate at that, and you are trying to hide the being you truly are. She's seen the glorious wyrm and fucked the human. She should see them together as you were created to be.” She glared at him once again as she watched him start trying to walk away, “She should see you! As your hatchlings will be the same!”

“Don't remind me!”

“Doctor,” she sighed, “I know you were told for so long you were a monster, an abomination, et ectera. You can hear her thoughts. I don't doubt she loves you for you and would love you still in any form.”

The Doctor sighs looking down at his hands as he remembers Clara seeing him in his dragon form before they even bonded. Remembering her touch that stirred the want of wanting to bond with her. He looked back up and looked to Lullin with a smirk, “bad dragon? I'm starting to think you're treating me like a dog.”

Lullin chuckled, “sorry it was the first thing that came to mind. I know I am harsh to you Doctor but it has been for good reasons.”

 


	21. Chapter 21

It had been a few days since his talk with Lullin about his secret form that only a few people had actually laid eyes on. Clara and the Doctor had casually laid around the various rooms of his cave and even worked on making a new one for Clara for most of her human needs. They even ran off the thief that had tried to sneak off with a large golden vase while he was working on her room. Sadly the thought of having to confess to Clara and eventually show her the form weighed heavily in his mind and he tried to find new things to help pass the time so he wouldn't have to give in. He let out an audible sigh as he laid in his gold pile in his dragon form just as Clara happened past the room.

Clara paused as she heard the sigh and watched the gold pile as it slowly shifted and breathed with another sigh coming from it, “Whats wrong?”

“My Clara how do you see me?”

She walked inside staring at the pile confused at the question he asked, “I don't understand the question.”

“Thought it was a simple question,“ he slowly wiggled his head of the gold just enough so his horns, head, eyes and just barely the top of his muzzle were showing, “how do you see me?”

“A dragon in a pile of gold?”

He slowly starts to sit up letting the gold fall off him as he moved forward just beyond the start of the pile before changing into his human form. He looked to Clara with a slight sadness on his face, “now?”

“A husband confusing a wife or in your terms a dragon confusing his dragoness.” Clara made a face as she was now very confused of the questions, “Doctor what is this about?”

The Doctor looked down to his feet, he couldn't look to her and was afraid of what she would do but he had to now tell her, “Clara about the other day. I lied. In fact I blocked part of your memory for the lie.”

“What? Why?”

He wringed his hands together as he spoke, “I said there was a reason I found humans fascinating. It felt right to be among them just as it did with the dragons. Sadly when I was born I was hid away till I could go into my dragon form.”

“You were hidden away? Why?”

“It was the first time a dragon ever mated with a human. Most dragons always saw humans as unintelligent animals and mating with one was seen as muddying dragon blood. It was forbidden to create such an,” he paused as the word rushed around his mind, “ an abomination. Sadly hearing it for the first time I could never erase it from my thoughts. Of course I was taught how to be a full dragon so I could be with them and no one would know.”

He finally looked up to see the sadness on Claras face and frowned. “I-I shouldn't have but living for 2000 years having to work so hard to keep it hidden it was on instinct,” he slowly walked over to her bringing his hand to her temples unblocking the memory “don't rush to see it again let it flow forth.”

Clara gasped and held onto the Doctor for a few moments as the memory came back. She looked to him and brought her hand to caress his cheek, _“I want to see it for real.”_

He pulled away as her thoughts came through, “Why do you want to see?”

“Why do you want to keep hiding it?”

“I don't want to hurt you.”

“You won't. You know you won't.”

He looked to Clara seeing the determined look on her face and nodded. “I want you to close your eyes. I know you've seen me change before but this time just this once for now and keep them closed.”

Clara nodded slowly and closed her eyes waiting. She was hoping that he wasn't going to run off but then again he could manipulate time to which he could leave and come back a few seconds later after running off for years. She heard him exhaling out before she felt a hand, a larger than normal one, take hers and gently place it upon something like smooth rock.

Her fingers felt along feeling the bumps of smooth stone realizing that it was indeed his scales. Extending her fingers to rub along the surface she felt the scales slowly disappear into soft skin. She ran them back to feel that the scales did indeed end and she was feeling normal skin. As she explored more she knew she was feeling his arm as she felt an elbow with a sharp stony point to it, and partly scale covered biceps. The muscle underneath felt denser, slightly larger than his human form. Clara smiled as she started to hear his purring much louder than his form ever did. She also felt a slight surprise coming from him, _“why are you surprised?”_

“ _Being a dragon it just feels like a ant running over me and putting myself in human form slightly numbs the sensation, like clothing on skin. I've been so used to it I forgot how everything felt as it should.”_

Clara felt the smooth scales of the back of his fingers against her cheeks and felt him speak again, _“Open your eyes. Also look up a bit more.”_

Clara did as he asked looking up as she opened her eyes and gasped, “Oh my you are taller.” She looked to where her hand was which was indeed at the bottom of his bicep which she had to reach up for. Looking down at the rest of him she found him to be wearing trousers and looked up, “trousers?”

The Doctor smirked and pointed to his torso which was not completely covered by scales, “As you can see I'm not completely covered by scales, especially there. Asking a tailor to make trousers with a hole in the back was difficult as well.”

“A hole?”

“I have a tail.”

Clara looked over as the Doctor turned slightly seeing that he indeed have a tail and also large wings that she somehow didn't notice, “And wings!”

He nodded, “wings too.”

She looked back up trying to get a good look at his face but with now the larger height difference it was difficult, “I hate to ask but I want to see your face better. Could you kneel down?”

The Doctor then realized that he wasn't afraid and all the worry of hurting Clara had disappeared as soon as he felt her amazement and curiosity when she started to touch him. He smiled softly as he knelt down putting himself into a sitting position sitting on his legs, “Better?”

Clara smiled back putting both of her hands on either side of his pale face, “much better.” She leaned in and gently placed a soft kiss on his lips. Leaning back she looked at his eyes which were very much the blue-greyish dragon eyes she had come to know. Her fingers ran along the edge of his jaw and hair line feeling the scales that ended into his face like they did to his arm. She looked up to the sizable horns that jutted out and curved swiftly back along his head against the longer silver curls of his hair. They were the same light blue of his dragon form and looked to the Doctor, “Can-can I touch your horns? I won't be hurting you or anything?”

The Doctor smiled, “no you won't hurt me, unless you tug on them. It's just like nails on a human.”

“Okay,” Clara smiled and gently touched her fingers onto a horn feeling the jewel-like smoothness of it. Her fingers then slowly went through the curls of his hair underneath feeling that there was space between his head and the horn. Upon closer inspection of his hair she noticed a slight bluish tint that wasn't there in his human form. Her fingers then continued to roam around as she looked and felt feeling slightly pointed ears, scales on his neck leading down his shoulders that covered his back, chest and upper arms.

He had closed his eyes purring before a soft moan slipped out. Her touch was soft, comforting and right. Arousing. He groaned as her hands softly ran down his chest onto his stomach which wasn't covered by the scales. “Clara.”

“Sorry.” Clara giggled, “I got a little carried away with touching.”

The Doctor softly smiled and looked to her, “It's alright. One thing at a time though.”

She nodded, “of course.” She leaned over once again planting another kiss on his lips as her hands gently ran over his sides.

“Oh!” The Doctor chuckled, “I think I am ticklish now.”

“Oh?” Clara gave him a sly grin.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” The Doctor gasped in surprise then bellowed in laughter as Clara started to tickle him, “no! No, no, no! Hahah! Stop!” He continued to laugh for a few moments more before suddenly he splayed his wings out fully while quickly wrapping his arms around Clara to restrain her.

Clara's eyes went wide in surprise and in awe of the sight of his wings then looked upon his face that had the same sly grin as she had before she tickled him, “What are you planning to do?”

“This.” With one mighty flap of his wings he managed to stand himself up from his sitting position as he held onto Clara allowing him to then start running out of the cave with his wings beating down as they gained speed before they broke out into the daylight of the outside as he flew up and out.

“Oh my gods!” Clara clenched her eyes shut as the adventure had begun but as the trip finally smoothed out to the gentle waves and beats of his wings she finally looked to the Doctor as he was watching what as ahead of them.

“Alright?”

“I will never tickle you again.”

The Doctor laughed and gracefully maneuvered her so he was properly carrying her in his arms which allowed her to wrap her arms around his neck. “I'm sorry for the scare but it only seemed fair.”

She looked up to the sky and noticed a few clouds much closer than she had ever seen them then looked below to the massive plots of green grassland and forests down below. “Yes but the view makes up for it.”

“Yes it does.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did my best to explain how the Doctor looked but if you want a good comparison google "Au Ra Final Fantasy 14". He's like that but with wings and more scales.


	22. Chapter 22

Clara woke up, not yet opening her eyes, to birds chirping and the feeling of the sun starting to warm the area. While she could feel the Doctors arms around her she felt something else near her legs that weren't the Doctors legs. Opening her eyes up she noticed something obscuring the view of landscape around them. After a few moments of looking around she realized that the Doctor had covered themselves with his wing keeping in the heat that she was putting out during the night.

She gently wiggled her arm out from beneath his and softly started to feel the webbing of the wing. The wing gently shifted after a few moments with him making small noises indicating that he was waking to her touch.

“ _Nothing better than to be dreaming of having a dragoness in my arms and waking up to it being true.”_

Clara giggled at the thought and wiggled to roll over so they were face to face, _“So no longer scared of being your true self?”_

“ _I've always been my true self it's just what form I was in was the problem. Though hopefully you won't mind if I stayed human for when we travel, I would scare people off.”_

She smiled and wiggled her other arm up cupping sides of his face leaning in to give him a soft kiss on the lips, “I won't complain.”

The Doctor smiled and rolled the both of them over with her on top and both of his wings still wrapped around her like a second hug. He gently kissed her back and began to purr along with slowly swishing his tail back and forth along the grass. Clara started to giggle and he felt that she was giggling due to the tail swishing, “Why is that funny?”

“Your hips are moving while you're swishing your tail.”

Doctor smirks which then turns into a sly grin as he starts thinking of an idea.

Claras eyes went wide as she started to giggle more, “we should go back to the cave then.”

 

 

\------------------------------------------------

2 Months Later...

\------------------------------------------------

 

 

Clara woke up to the slight chilled breeze wafting over her and a sudden churning stomach which made her lay her on the gold pile waiting for it to settle. She wondered where the Doctor had disappeared to as for the past two months he had comfortably stayed in a bed or gold pile with her till she woke everyday. Along with taking small trips into the future she had enjoyed waking up with him but now was curious why he wasn't there anymore. Finally being able to get up she slowly managed her way out of the pile and onto the solid stone floor starting towards the door to look for him, “Doctor?”

The Doctor, as a full dragon, suddenly strolled in from the main cave entrance walking up to Clara before placing a dead cow in front of her. “Oh good I got here in time.”

“Um, what's with the cow?” Clara stared at the cow for a few moments before the smell started to make her stomach churn more causing her to cover her nose and mouth and turn away, “could you do something with that?”

He curiously tilted his head slightly, “The few times I've over heard pregnant humans state they could eat a whole animal from hunger I thought I would oblige before you even asked. Why are you turning away from it?”

“What?”

“The cow, it's for you.”

She slowly turned keeping her view upward to the Doctor, “Y-yes I get that but the part before that?”

“My asking what's wrong or overhearing pregnant women talking about eating a whole animal?”

“Pregnant? I'm not pregnant.”

The Doctor pulled back slightly as if offended by her dismissal of what was very obvious, at least to him, “Clara we have been mating. It's inevitable. You are.”

“I'm pregnant?” Her eyes went wide with the realization of another situation suddenly coming up causing her to bolt out of the main cave to her new room that the Doctor had made for her.

“Clara?!” The Doctor quickly turned into his human form rushing after her to the victorian style bed and bath he made for her, “Clara?” He walked into the bathroom seeing her splash water from the sink looking paler than normal.

“It's-it's fine. Just everything made my upset stomach worse.” Sighing she dried her face with a nearby towel, “now I know why I'm sick.”

“Sick? Why are you sick?”

Clara smirked, “I'm sure dragons don't get morning sickness.”

“No? It's technically not morning either.” He furrowed his brow and tilted his head in curiosity again, “Is this what happens to humans?”

She slowly nodded, “luckily just for another month or so. Thank you for the cow but that probably won't be requested till later,” she giggled, “much, much later.”

“I'll go take care of it.”

 

 

Clara gave the Doctor some time to deal with the cow and to also change from her nightgown to the dress the Doctor had given her when they went to the 70's for the first time. She walked into the main cave seeing him in his dragon form licking his lips letting her know he did indeed eat the cow, “by the way how did you know?”

He calmly laid down so he wasn't towering so much over her as he couldn't change so soon after eating, “It is like the bond but between parents and their hatchlings. It goes away when they enter adulthood. I am amazed you are not feeling it. They aren't developed yet so you can't feel thoughts but you can sense a presence.”

Clara walked up to his front paws and gently ran her hand against the scales of one smiling, “No I've been feeling something but I thought it was something you were doing. I'm sorry for doubting you.”

“Humans handle unexpected surprises in amusing ways.” He turned over his paw, “just wasn't expecting how you would react.”

“I wasn't expecting a cow put in front of me either.”

The Doctor chuckled, “I should have asked I apologize.”

She slowly climbed up into his paw which is cupped slightly so she could sit down, “though a reminder a person really doesn't eat a animal whole by themselves, it's just an expression.”

“Oh right.”

 


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh I apologize that this was a bit late in posting than I planned. My other hobbies had my attention.

It had been a few weeks since finding out she was pregnant and Clara and the Doctor, in his human form, laid in bed together his hand on her lower stomach softly rubbing the area. Clara smiled as they did this every morning regardless if she had to rush out of bed due to morning sickness. This morning was a rare occurrence of just peaceful comforting and she felt him trying to talk the life growing inside her. Though there was a certain word that she kept feeling him speak and she had to question him about it, “Why do you keep saying hatchlings?”

“Well that's what young just hatched dragons are called. You're not going to lay eggs of course.”

“But shouldn't it be hatchling? Like one? You're saying it like I'm going to have more.” Her eyes grew wide as she felt his mind give way to the answer before he could speak, “Oh god how many am I going to have?”

He brought his hand up to her arm softly squeezing it in hopes to comfort her, “Clara, I know humans only have one but in certain cases two, or even more. It's probably a little difficult to feel the presence of them both.”

She slowly sat up as she felt slightly ill from the news. Twins. She had started to wonder how much different a half dragon child would be but now she would have to deal with twin half dragons. “Oh, oh goodness.”

He sat up along side her and gently took her hand, “it's alright I will be here to help.”

She looked over to him, “Did you ever have a family?”

“Yes.”

Clara frowned as she felt sadness upon his answer then finally realized what the first of two horrible things the Doctor had experience that gave him nightmares, “Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize. I shouldn't have asked.”

He gave a soft smile and felt like it was time to tell her everything, like showing her his true form even if the memories hurt. “It's alright because I never said. Most of the sapphire dragons went into hiding at the start of the war, as being able to change the course of a battle is a powerful tool. Yet most were found and were either killed or they sacrificed themselves so their abilities could never be used.” He sighed, “I thought I had put us far enough away to be safe. Long enough to give us comfort to have hatchlings. Sadly their glimpse of the world was all too brief.”

“It's okay you don't have continue.”

“No Clara I should. Like my true form you should know about my true self. Little did they know I was the prophecy that was spoke in the whispers of time and space. All they thought I was just another time dragon to do their bidding. I was the one that stood in the ruins ending the war.”

Clara looked at him in confusion. Prophecy? He ended the war? “Lullin said they killed themselves and she never spoke of a prophecy.”

The Doctor nodded slowly, “In a sense they indeed kill themselves, even if it was I that was their downfall. Sadly I don't know what the prophecy entailed either but saying she won't speak of it I can only guess it's finished.”

“So how does Lullin fit in all this? She knows an awful lot and she said she used to not be human.”

“She was an angel. They are very powerful beings but are bogged down by rules so they don't grant just anyone a miracle. I don't know why she defied the council or why she would only bring me back to life but she did. Then she promptly had her wings ripped from her and was turned into a human with a long life span as punishment.”

Clara started to feel regret coming from him and brought her hand up to caress his cheek, “Doctor?”

“There are times I regret still being alive because she would still be an angel, I wouldn't have been the dragon that destroyed a kingdom, and you,” he sighed and cleared his throat as he pushed the thoughts away. Stupid dragon. She wouldn't have been sacrificed to him and then they would have never been together. He suddenly smiled to her and continued on with a new thought, “You know angels don't actually have wings, they're like tendrils of light spouting from their back. It's why all those art pieces of angels have halos of light surrounding them.”

Clara smirked at his attempt to change the subject even if she knew what he had been thinking, “Doctor.”

“Sorry it hurt a little more than I was expecting it to.”

“You wouldn't happen to have any paintings of what angels look like?”

“I might have one.”

 

After taking her to get breakfast then a trip to the bathroom they walked through the passageways of the cave till they entered a cavern that seemed to be larger than the main cavern that the Doctor resided in. Orbs of light slowly started to glow at various places and heights illumination the hundreds of paintings that lined the walls. Clara looked back and forth between both walls looking at them in awe that he had so many, “How did you get all these?”

“I painted them. Well most of them. I gained a few from Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Renoir, Poussin and others, including Warhol.” He chuckled a moment, “Though some could argue cans of tomato soup is not art.”

Clara watched as he stopped turning around in front of her and pointing to the wall on her left. She gasped as she looked at the picture as it depicted dragons of various colors and sizes fighting what looked like be heavily armored knights with the long tendrils of lights of either white, yellow, orange or blue coming from their backs fighting on the ground or in the air. “These are angels?”

He nodded, “One of the many wars between angels and dragons. I wasn't born then when this was created but I did witness the last war as a youngling. I think a few humans did as well, which is what probably caused for a few angels versus demons stories to appear.”

“Do you think Lullin is in here?”

Shrugging the Doctor looked at the picture, “Really I wouldn't be surprised if she was. They're practically immortal unless of course killed.”

Clara looked over to the Doctor then noticed another smaller painting that caught her eye. A sapphire dragon curled up around what looked like a grouping of three or four eggs. It clearly wasn't the Doctor as there was no mouth tendrils plus there was an extra grouping of horns adorning its head. “Was this your mate?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.”

The Doctor smiled at Clara before changing into his hybrid form, “Yes my mate is.” He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, “thank you my Clara.”

Clara smiled, “Now what's this about cans?”

“Oh that's down a ways. I don't think you'll be interested.”

“Well I am. Let's go.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angels are indeed based on the angels of Diablo 3 creation.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Realized I put in a giant continuity error in regards to the cave and why Arcas couldn't come in. Fixed.

Ever since Clara's stomach finally came to terms with the idea that she was pregnant the Doctor took her on trips lasting anywhere from two days to a week. Clara and the Doctor, in his human form, reappeared in the main cavern after a lovely week in the Caribbean in 2256. The Doctor softly kissed her shoulder as they stood there still embraced from the travel before a familiar voice echoed into the cave from the outside, “I demand to see the Dragon!”

Clara frowned and let go looking out towards the abyss of the shadows of the cave, “Is that King Arcas?”

He nodded, “Eight months and you'd think he be over his sons death.”

Clara frowned to him, “It took me years to get over mums and I don't think dad has ever stopped.”

“I'm sorry. That was rude of me.”

Once again Arcas' voice echoed, “You will come out here this instant!”

The doctor groaned and rolled his eyes, “such a child.” Taking a few steps forward to place himself in front of Clara he sent a booming shout out of the cave, “What have I told you about demands?!”

Clara stared towards the abyss and wondered something, “Why can't he just come in here?”

The Doctor smirked and spoke in his normal voice, “Have we ever left through the entrance?”

Clara continued to look at the darkness and thought back to all the time they left and returned. It had always been time travel or just porting around. Only the Doctor had actually physically left, “no but you have.” She thought a bit more hoping a theory was right, “is this like Lullins cottage?”

He nodded, “More or less but infinite space. Plus I can move the entrance around if I wish.”

"So how did the thieves always get in?"

The Doctor smirked, "I had always let them by what they thought were little 'secret entrances'. Two-thousand years old I need some amusement."

“How come you never told me?”

"You never asked.” He looked back to the dark void sending another booming shout out of the cave, “Well? I asked a question.”

Arcas shouted back, ”I'm sorry!”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow in surprise, “That's a first.”

“I wish to apologize in person! Hopefully grace me in as a human?”

Clara watched as the Doctor started to walk out before running up to grab him, “you're not going to do it?!”

He smirked to her and patted her hand, “I am giving him a chance. If he blows it then never again.”

“Doctor, please.”

“Clara I'll be fine.”

 

 

 

Clara paced as the moments became minutes before a pained roar from the Doctor echoed into the cave. Soon after the Doctor, now in his hybrid form, limped in clutching his side growling. “Doctor!”

“I'm fine.” His wings fluttered in response to keep his balance as he straightened up wincing to the stab wound in his side that was clearly bleeding slowly, “He wasn't too happy to find out you weren't a virgin anymore. Had the balls to stab me.”

Clara rushed up to help him with his balance even though he was much larger than her and it would be quite a feat to keep him upright if he were to lose balance, “What did you do? You didn't kill him, did you?”

“I probably should have but no. Made him soil himself when I changed.”

She gently pulled his hand away to asses the damage that was done. Even though she didn't know how much he could take he was clearly in pain from it, “We need to get you tended to.”

He nodded slowly and pointed to the cave front, “that's why I took us to Lullin. Look to the cave front.”

Clara was surprised to see the cave entrance was no longer a black abyss but of a cave wall with a small wooden door seated. She was surprised even more when Lullin opened it as if she knew the cave was connected, “what happened?”

The Doctor smirked as they walked into the cottage, “Arcas really didn't like my answer.”

Lullin frowns as she joined in helping the Doctor walk, moving them to another room, “distract your father would you Clara. He might be a little concerned with sudden roaring.”

Clara nodded and went out into the living area where David was seated with a blanket over his legs, “Hello father.”

His eyes went wide and he stood up, “Clara! Oh this is a surprise, how are you?”

She gave him a small smile rubbing her rounding belly, “starting to feel pregnant. I need to take you outside for a bit. Doctor is hurt and well in the state he's in we didn't want to alarm you.”

David nods, “I was wanting a little walk anyway. Are you up for it?”

“Always with you.”

 

 

Clara and her father walked over a few small hills with him questioning what the roaring sound coming from the cottage was which Clara easily blocked with tales of all their adventures. It wasn't till they had reached the top of a larger grassy knoll that he started to breath heavily and cough harshly.

Clara frown and helped him keep his balance once his fit was over, “I told Lullin to not let you smoke and look at what it's doing to you again.”

“Clara, it's okay.”

“No, its not.”

David sighed looking to his daughter sadly, “I haven't smoked in a few weeks. I'm dying Clara.”

Clara gasped gripping onto his arm tighter, “Father why didn't you make Lullin send a message?”

“She was going to do it tomorrow. But you're here now, how's the baby?”

“Babies,” she softly laughed at the timing of the news, “evidently we both had news.”

David sighed, looking to her with concern, “Clara I don't want you to get upset over this.”

“Kind of hard not to when pregnant. I cry over the silliest things.”

He gave a small laugh with a cough that followed, “Your mother did as well. I remember she started crying over a puppy.”

Tears start to roll down Clara's face, “I miss mum.”

David pulled Clara in for a gentle hug, “I know I do too but you've been so much like her it's like I've never lost her.”

“Does Lullin know how much longer you have?”

“A few weeks, give or take. Evidently she can see how long a person lives for.”

“We'll stay. I figure we need to do that already with the Doctor needing to heal as well.”

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for no update last week the muse was not with me. Also last chapter I realized I introduced a little plot hole in regards to humans not being able to come into the cave. I fixed that.

It had been two weeks since Clara's father passed away. Even though they had stayed the month with him in his final moments, it had been painful. Very painful. She didn't know if it was being pregnant that made her more emotional or the realization her parents would never see her children. The Doctor and Lullin had assured her that in spirit they would always be with her. Sadly it didn't stop her from holing herself up in her room in the cave not wanting to leave and only managing to eat because the Doctor kept reminding her to.

Clara had started to feel confusion coming from the twins for the last few days. She wondered if it was confusion on why she felt sad all the time or why they hadn't felt the Doctor for some time now. This caused her to start to feel awful for keeping him away and all the times she snapped at him when he tried to comfort her. She had to fix this, she couldn't be sad all the time because her father had passed. She had to move on when her mother died. She got up slowly out of bed and walked over changing into a one piece dress the Doctor had gotten for her as all of her other clothing was becoming tighter as her belly swelled.

“Doctor?” she called out as she had entered the main room. After not getting a response she looked to the gold pile seeing that it wasn't as large when he was laying in it. “Doctor?” She called again. Clara began to worry as the Doctor never had left for long periods of time, especially with her pregnant. Thoughts ran through her mind. Had something happened to him? Did she push him away permanently? She had to go outside and call for him.

But how was she going to do that when only time dragons could leave?

Her hand touched the wall right before the dark abyss before starting to carefully and slowly start to walk along the wall. She was surprised as the wall suddenly was gone from her fingertips after a few moments. Her mind continued to question if she should be doing this and if the grief over her father was giving her irrational thoughts but yet here she was hopefully walking to the outside. “Doctor?!” she started to call out as a light started to shine through the darkness.

Clara looked around at the the rubble of the castle as she finally walked out almost losing her footing on the loose stone. It had almost seemed like ages since she was here tied to the pole that was still in place in front of the shadows. She slowly took her time walking out of the ruins and onto the grassy land overlooking the area. It was peaceful, calm and all too brief.

She screamed out as she was surprised by arms grabbing hold of her from both sides, “Let me go!” As she looked to who was trying to restrain her she saw it was the kings royal guard.

Arcas himself walked around in front of her with two more guards on either side. It looked like after he had the first altercation with the Doctor he wasn't going to deal with another. “He told me he took you far away but I didn't think he was foolish to actually keep you with him.” He narrowed his eyes as he finally spotted the growing bump behind the sundress, “And to even be the one to take your virginity. Here I was wanting to capture him but now I have something better.”

“King Arcas your son is gone. He can't come back.”

He furrowed his brow and spat towards her, “He won't come back because that dragon refuses my demands!”

“ARCAS!” The Doctors voice roared loudly and echoed around them before the loud flaps of his wings came into hearing range. “Let her go!”

Arcas turned glaring as the Doctor soared in and landed just down the mountain side from where they stood, “I will let her go when you give me my son!”

The Doctor softly moaned mournfully looking to Clara, “Why are you outside?”

Her eyes started to tear up as he could see the sadness in his dragon face, “Y-you weren't in the cave and-and I tried to look for you --”

Arcas spat at her once again before looking to the Doctor, “Silence! You have till tomorrow to give me my son back otherwise we'll see how true to your word you are about not being able to revive people.”

Clara screamed out as she was started to carried away to a cart that had pulled up, “No! Doctor!” After being put in the cart she tried to keep her eyes to the Doctor who slowly started to lower his head trying hard to not show how much grief he was in. It was only till they were a few minutes travel away she heard a pained high pitched roar coming from the mountain side.

“I wonder if that was the same sound he made when his other family died?” Arcas arrogantly smirked to Clara as he followed along on his own horse.

 

 

\------------------------------------------------

 

 

Lullin busied herself around the cottage, she had sadly started to miss having David around which was something that she wasn't thought possible. She sighed and was about to grab her pipe for the afternoons smoke when she suddenly heard pained roaring followed by loud boom outside. She rushed outside seeing the Doctor laying in the newly formed trench from having just crashed into the ground, “Doctor?”

He laid there in his dragon form still, heavily breathing and sobbing making mournful roars, hisses and cries as he spoke in the dragons tongue to her.

She rushed over as quickly as she could to make sure he was alright, “I thought humans couldn't get inside.”

He sighed and took a few moments to compose himself somewhat before speaking, “But pregnant ones carrying partial sapphire dragons can get out.” He roared now of anger, “I raced back quickly only to find Arcas had been camping near the castle waiting for me, only to grab her.”

“She's not hurt is she?”

“No, not yet. Lullin he's going to kill her if I don't bring his son back.”

“You can't.”

“It's the only way.”

“The universe is not worth an arrogant kings son.”

“No but it's worth Clara.”

Lullins eyes go wide and she started to shout back like he had just insulted her, “No don't you ever think that!”

The Doctor reeled back wondering why she was now shouting at him, “w-why are you shouting at me like that?”

She sighed and flung her arms up, “The council didn't rip me of my wings just because I ignored them and resurrected someone. They punished me because I resurrected a prophecy.” She pointed to him, “you are the prophecy. I'm only alive because I am to keep watching you as well.”

“W-what?”

“The hybrid born of two royal houses will stand in the ruins having unraveled the web of time to heal its hearts.”

The Doctor laughed, the sadness between each bark, “Lullin this is a bad time to joke.”

She glared at him, “When have I joked with you?”

“R-royal?”

“Change and come inside you have much to learn.”

“Lullin we don't have time!”

“Silly dragon, you're a time lord of course you have time.”

 


	26. Chapter 26

Lullin frowned towards the Doctor as he paced around her living area in his human form, “Stop pacing and sit down.”

The Doctor flailed his arms towards the furniture, “You want to have tea and a chat at a time like this?!”

“SIT DOWN!” Her voice shook the area as it echoed which startled the Doctor causing him to quickly sit down into a chair nearby. She sighed composing herself before taking the kettle from the fire and pouring him tea, “we have time because we're in a time bubble so you were at least smart enough to do something right. So when I say we have time, we have time.”

“I hate waiting.” The Doctor huffed before leaning forward picking up the cup and looking to her. “So,” he sighed trying to think of things to pass the time that Lullin was holding onto keeping him there, “royal? I'm far from royal. Next you're going to tell me is that I'm related to him.”

She looked at him matter-of-factly as she picked up her just poured cup, “You are.” She smirked as she watched him get caught off guard as he was sipping at the cup, “Little nephew Arcas is being a bad boy. Also if the dragons knew who you were, you would have been third in line for Lord President. Granted if you weren't a hybrid.”

The Doctor coughed a few times and fumbling his tea cup around before looking at her in surprise, “Why the hell did no one tell me?! And how do you know?!”

“No one told you because no one knew especially after your mother had died and your father ran away. No one knew who they were. I only knew as I was watching but I had vow of non-interference, when I did follow the rules.” She smirked at the last few words she spoke before continuing on, “I just didn't know of the prophecy and those bastards didn't tell me till after I resurrected you. Hints never work.”

After putting his cup safely down onto the table he sat back into the chair in thought. “So how did they get together?”

“Same like every fairy tale told; strange rebellious young man catches the eye of a young maiden. They run off and secretly get married. Mother dies in birth and father runs away frightened of what he had done. The sisters of the coven are scared of the appearance of the baby. A demon at first thought.”

“And someone stopped the sisters from putting an end to the demon.”

Lullin nodded, “Angels are assigned to a person, if they have family they watch over them as well so on and so forth. I watched your mother so I became your watcher. While I said I had a vow of non-interference, whispers are a bit of a grey area so I managed to convince them. Had a few tendrils plucked for that but you were supposed to live for a time.” She put her cup down on the table and stood up walking to him. She smiled, something the Doctor had never seen, and caressed his cheek, “I watched you grow up, silently comforted you when you were scared and maybe gave a bit of a pointer on flying. In essence I was a mother that couldn't watch her son die.”

He gently took her hand into both of his, “But realized she was saving the destructor of time.”

“Prophecies are visions of what could happen. Destinies are the one you need to be worried about.” She smirked pulling her hand away from his as she started to go back to her seat.

“Will you help me save Clara?”

“I just did.” Lullin smiled seeing the Doctor's confused face, “you're calm and thinking straight. Now go save her.”

The Doctor scrambled to his feet and rushed out the door as he thought about it all. Lullin was always right.

 

 

 

 

 

The Doctor roared as his hybrid form broke open the barred hall doors, “ARCAS!”

The guards that were stationed in the hall quickly brought their weapons to the ready but stayed the distance as most of them fought against his full dragon form and were unsure if they wanted to do it again. Arcas stood up visibly angry to what he was seeing, “I warned you dragon! She dies!”

Just as he was starting to turn to a guard inside the room to give orders another came rushing into the room from a side entrance, “My lord!” The color from his face seeps away as he noticed the Doctor whom he just saw moments ago causing him to stammer, “s-s-she's gone.”

“WHAT?!”

The Doctor grinned, “You forget who you're playing with. I command time. I saved her because she is alive.”

“I will never cease till my son is back!” Arcas quickly drew his sword as he started to scream running towards the Doctor in the attempt to bury his blade into him. This time to kill.

Despite his size the Doctor easily sidestepped Arcas' poorly rage fueled lunge touching him as he runs past sending him back in time gathering the short moments of time energy, “Good bye Arcas.”

Sounds of metal clanging and feet stomping away on stone filled the hall as most of the guards fled the room after the display. A few stammers from a nearby guard who had surely soiled himself finally questioned, “W-what did you do with the King?”

“Replaced him. I am the heir to the ancient house of Caerwyke and Lord of Dragons. War was placed against my name and I have won.” The Doctor pointed to the guard who had asked the question, “you're the new king because I just want to be left alone with my mate. I trust you'll do that?”

“With the request of my lord that he will still be able to be called upon at difficult times.”

“Of course. Now excuse me as I have a pregnant mate to take care of.”

 


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I whole-heartily apologize for the lateness of the chapters. My creative muse wanted me to dabble in other hobbies for a while. Luckily I was able to finish this chapter and have another one lined up that I plan to finish to post in a couple days time.

The Doctor, still in his hybrid form, had knelt in front of Clara burying his face into the crook of her neck as he hugged her after returning the few seconds from leaving her in the field in front of Lullins cottage. Clara hugged back slightly in surprise as it had always been her to start any hug that they had done. All she could hear was his tail was slowly swishing against the long blades of grass and the slight breeze in the air. No thoughts except for the ones of the twins sharing their happiness that they could feel the Doctor once again. “Is everything alright?”

He let out a sigh and slightly gripped his hands at her, “I just want to hear you. All three of you.” _You're safe that's all that matters._

Clara frowned with tears starting to well up finally feeling the trickle of emotion the Doctor couldn't contain from her any longer. Fear, sadness and happiness all from the events that occurred. “I-I-I'm sorry about what I did. I should have waited.”

“No I shouldn't have left like I did. Of course the universe is funny like that.” He slowly pulled away to look into her eyes with a small smirk, “I wasn't expecting our children to let you pass through the barrier. That's how I knew you were up and outside. The barrier lets me know if someone goes through it.”

She gasped and looked down to her stomach, “They did that?”

“Yes they did.”

She looked back up to the Doctor while gently running her hand over her large belly, her eyes wide with surprise, “I'm not going to suddenly appear in another time am I?”

“No they need to learn to do that and when they're much older.” The Doctor gently rubbed the back of his scaled fingers against her cheek as he felt her apologize once again, “All is forgiven my Clara.”

She smiled for a moment before giving him a concerning look, “What did you do to Arcas?”

“He is permanently dealt with sadly. Which left me a castle to run but I gave it to a guard because I'd rather be a normal dragon than a king.” He smiled towards her, “After a nice sleep how about we go to a tropical island? Your choice on if you want people on it or just be me and you and the wilderness.”

“How about we stay here? While an island is nice I want more grass and a small cottage to stay at.”

“Here? I don't think Lullin would approve.”

Lullin's voice came from nearby as she had been watching and listening from a distance, “Nonsense. I think I've been stubborn and alone long enough.”

The Doctor turned and looked to her as she came up to them with a surprised look on his face, “What changed your mind?”

She smirked, “Evidently changing someones mind runs in the family. Plus I think Clara would like the company from someone other than her mate. Also babies, I love babies.”

Clara moved over and gave a hug that surprised the Doctor in which Lullin returned.

 

 

 

The Doctor had changed into his human self and sat with Lullin watching the night sky as Clara slept inside the cottage. It had been a stressful day and he was still grateful that everything turned out the way it did but he still had thoughts on his mind. He let out a few small sighs as he pondered asking the question before he gathered the will to finally ask Lullin, “Clara won't die will she?”

Lullin looked over to him looking at the grass in front of him as he sat, “Why do you ask that?”

“You said my mother died giving birth, I was concerned if Clara was going to have the same fate.”

She nodded, “sadly it's something I can't answer. But if you're worried you can take her to the future.”

The Doctor sat up and looked over to her with a serious face, “Do you see her time or not?”

Lullin sighed standing up in a a clear frustration, “just because I can still see someones end due to the energy keeping me immortal, as punishment mind you, doesn't mean I can see it with the same precision all the time.”

“Lullin please you were able to see her fathers for some time.”

“Because I was becoming attached to him! I can see yours too, very well and no it's not soon.” She turned around out of embarrassment then spoke softly after calming down, “of course a horrible thing to have happen but I know it was not going to last even if he lived a full life.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Take her to the future if it worries you so much.”

“I'm more concerned if I do that she might be scared again.”

She turned back around with a surprised look on her face, “You still hadn't told her about the first time?”

“No and I wasn't going to. She was so frightened. It was safer to keep it hidden.” He rubbed his face with hand as he was starting to feel the tiredness come around, “She will find out eventually, I know. I want to ease her back into that memory when that time comes.”

Lullin moved over to him gently cupping his face in her hands and kissed his forehead, “I know I've hounded you for a lot of the choices you've made but you have always been a smart boy.”

The Doctor smirked, “I'm not a boy anymore.”

“You will always be one to me.”

 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little tenderness, a little sadness and baby names.

**Over 2000 Years Ago...**

 

A young maiden sporting long curly locks of dark brown hair waddled as quickly as her immense pregnant belly would let her through a small pack of market goers. “Bidras come over here!” She grinned as she grabbed the hand of a tall thin man that had his head cocked in curiosity to the game a group of eldery gentlemen were playing.

The man with short brown hair, which was relatively odd in the period they were in, quickly straightened and looked at her for a few passing moments before looking around and nodded, “Of course Lili.” The two of them looked very much out of place even though the clothes they were wearing were slightly worn and of simple fabric. He followed the giddy maiden to a stall featuring blankets and fabrics to which she held up an item causing him to cock his head again, “What is this?”

“It's a blanket with a dragon on it.” She smiled and pointed to the dark blue hand stitched figure on it, “Almost looks like y-”

Bidras' eyes widened and spoke in a hushed tone, “Lili no.”

Lili smirked, “Bidras I was going to say it looks like your family crest. It's a perfect blanket for the baby don't you think?”

Bidras was about to open his mouth when the elderly woman tending the stall suddenly spoke, “What are ye gonna name the wee one?”

Lili softly gasped looking between Bidras and the woman blushing, “Well we really hadn't talked about it yet.”

The woman smiled, “Oh but the thought is in ye head yes?”

“I was thinking Iseabail if it's a girl and a boy - “

Bidras suddenly spoke with his face slightly turned away, “Basil.”

Lili giggled for a moment before moving up close to Bidras, “Basil? Not something to,” she paused for a quick moment, “to your family standards?”

Bidras shook his head, “It would be hard for you to pronounce anyway but I think I would like him to be named Basil. If it's a boy of course.”

Lili slowly leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, “Basil it is.”

“I look forward to Iseabail if it is a girl.” Bidras brought up his hand to softly rub her cheek then looks back over, “you are right we do need some gifts for the youngling but I did not bring any coin with me.”

The elderly woman smiled, “If ye don't have any coin it's alright. Take it as a gift. Somethin' ta swaddle the young babe in.”

Lili smiled softly, starting to put the blanket back down, “We couldn't.”

“Please, I would hate to see new parents without anything.”

Bidras stated matter-of-factly, “Well we do have things - “

Lili frowned, “But they're not really something we want the baby to have, the sisters made them. They're not really special.”

The elderly woman raised her hands slightly in the air and then clapped them together in front of her, “Then it's settled! You take the blanket as a gift to celebrate the birth.”

Lili's eyes lit up bringing the blanket back up and hugging it to her chest, “Thank you. Thank you very much!”

The Doctor's human hand gripped at the corner of the building he was using as cover along with wearing raggedy clothes he had put on to hide himself. Tears started to roll across his face, as he watched his parents walk away from the stall that was a few places down from where he was hiding.

 

 

 

 

**Lullin's time bubble....**

 

 

The Doctor had parked himself on a small hill near the cottage sitting with a very old and worn blanket in his hands. His fingers softly went over the battered dark blue emblem that he had always imagined was a friend and fellow dragon to him when we was young. He heard the grass softly being crunched under feet with Clara softly speaking, “Doctor?”

He smiled turned to look towards her glowing ever brighter as the months were now weeks to when the younglings were to finally be here, “My Clara.” He put out his hand to help her steady herself as she sat down looking at the blanket in his lap.

“What's that?”

“Its my old baby blanket. the sisters that raised me had hid it and as a very curious and mischievous child I found it.”

She gently picked it up and brought it to her lap, “So why are you sitting here with it?”

“I went back in time to see my parents. Two-thousand years I hadn't bothered as I was used to knowing that I would never know them. After what Lullin had told me after you were taken I had to. I just wasn't expecting to see or hear what I did.”

Clara looked up in curiosity, “What did you hear?”

The Doctor paused as he held back the tears of the memories that were still fresh in his mind, “My name.”

“Your name?” Clara smiled as she had been curious if the Doctor did have any other name than what he had called himself, “What did they want to call you?”

He smirked, “My father of all things picked Basil.”

“No dragon name?” She chewed her lip in thought after she had asked, “Do dragons even have names? You always called your previous mate 'mate'. Never by a name.”

“Dragon names are honestly not physical names. They are the other worldly essence of ones being.”

“Wow.”

“And scents. Everyone, including you, has a scent.”

Clara giggled and leaned up against him, “Of course.”

The Doctor smirked once again, “had to break this sad moment.”

“What were their names?”

“Lili and my father took Bidras as a human name.”

“My mums name was Ellie. Lili and Ellie would be great names.”

The Doctor looked away slightly, “What if they don't like their names?”

Clara cocked her head slight as the question surprised her, “What makes you say that? You seemed thrilled to know what your parents named you.”

“I do. I-I really do.” He pulled the blanket back to him and gently rubbed his fingers at it once more as he stared at it. “I had to pick my name because of what the sisters had called me for the first 50 years of my life. It was something I hated and despised. I don't want our children to hate their names.”

“I'm sure that they will love their names because we will love them.”

“What if they're boys?”

“Use our fathers names?”

He frowned, “Really? I am honored to use your fathers name but mine?”

“Why not your fathers human name?”

“Because he left me. He could have taken me and raised me but he ran.”

“Maybe he ran because it was the best thing to do? To keep you hidden.” She brought her hand up and caressed his cheek, “You said it was forbidden to have a hybrid. Maybe he was worried he would be caught?”

“I did say that didn't I?” He sighed, “I just wish that he could have hidden me with better people.”

“Sometimes the only choices are bad ones but you still have to choose.”

He nodded, “I will think about it.”

“Well don't take too long. We'll need names eventually.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arg this last episode tore me up. I don't want Peter Capaldi to go :(


	29. Chapter 29

The Doctor paced back and forth, in his human form, nearby the cottage. He knew Clara was to be having the younglings anytime now as he could see the uncanny signs that she was having similar to dragon females before they laid eggs. Should he take her to the future to save any risk of harm to everyone or stay here and leave her life in the hands of the fates? Or would the fates still take her from him even if they went to the future? He had to make a choice and he had to do it now.

Clara's voice softly spoke trying not to startle him, “You look like a mess, what's wrong?”

He stopped, straightening up while clasping his hands behind his back and looked out to the country side. He knew it was a dead giveaway that something was amiss but he had to stop being bothered so much, “Nothing. You should be resting.”

She frowned making her way to him, “I swear I can feel your anxiety from my bed. Doctor tell me what's wrong.”

His hands clenched at each other as he didn't want to tell her. He had always said dragons were blunt, spoke their mind but then again he wasn't a full dragon. He sighed and looked to the grass as he heard her speak the question again, “I'm worried that you're going to die. Like my mother did. Almost thought I lost you once, I don't know what I would do if I actually did.”

“You already know I will pass long before you do.”

“I-I know.”

Clara softly smiled and gently placed her hand against his cheek, “Take me to the place that I keep dreaming of. The one where I was scared after I was hit with the arrow.”

His eyes widened in surprise, “Y-you remember?”

“I had kept having dreams here and there. They've been more revealing recently due to the twins.

“You're not upset with me are you?”

“I understand why you did it. I was scared of something and ran. You had to calm me somehow.”

“Would you like me to lift the block?”

“No.” She softly smiled, “that one can stay hidden. I never asked about it and how I always felt when waking I don't think I want to. Don't want to be scared coming back.”

He softly took her hand into his and kissed at her knuckles, “I'll go tell Lullin we're leaving then.”

 

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

 

The Doctor looked out the window watching the stars and the earths rotation below as he stood in Clara's room. He was glad they went as there had been some difficulty in the birth but Clara was alive and the younglings were being taken care of. All of them alive and safe. He smirked to himself before turning his head towards what he thought was a sleeping Clara who was half awake smiling to him. “You should rest.”

She sleepily groaned as she shifted trying to sit up, “I'm not pregnant anymore. I thought I would be done hearing those words.”

The Doctor smirked going over to help her finally sit up, “You did a lot today.”

Clara looked around taking in the room but couldn't see anything resembling a cot, “Where are the babies? Did you see them?”

He slowly shook his head, “They rushed them away to make sure there were no complications, I couldn't catch a glimpse.”

A firm knock happened upon the rooms door before it opened just enough for a nurse to peek in, “Hi, sorry. Hopefully I'm not interrupting?”

The Doctor looked to the door and shook his head, “No.”

“Good because I have some certain somebodies who I know you want to see.” The nurse smiled and opened the door wider slowly rolling the cot inside, “I would have brought them sooner but the other nurses were gushing over them. They're the cutest we've ever seen.”

Clara looked up to the Doctor seeing his jaw had dropped a little to the words the nurse spoke. She gently took his hand, _See? not everyone thinks horrible thoughts._

The Doctor looked to Clara, _Yes but we're also in the future. People are used to different species during this time. Except maybe slug people, no way you can make a slug look cute._

The nurse watched the two before Clara started giggling, “Everything alright?”

Clara blushed slightly embarrassed that they were talking to each other while someone was near them, “Oh yes sorry. The Doctor was a little surprised about how you said the babies were cute.”

The nurse seemed surprised at the comment, “Sorry I shouldn't have said that?”

The Doctor started to move towards the cot and smirked, “No, no, it's very much alright. Wonderful in fact.” While he could see a pink blanket of the one baby he was surprised to see the other wrapped in blue, “Clara, a girl and a boy.”

The nurse smiled, “So who gets to hold who?”

The Doctor gently ran his hand over the blankets feeling the twins physically wiggle and feeling their thoughts, “Miss if you could hand Ellie to Clara.”

Clara's eyes went wide, “We haven't named them yet.”

“They kind of named themselves after we talked names.” He then smirked, “Though I just had to tell our son he can't be named Doctor but agreed to Johnathan.”

Clara gasped as the nurse placed their daughter in her arms watching her eyes open to a shade of sapphire blue. “Oh look at your eyes.”

The Doctor sat down on the edge of the bed next to Clara holding their son. “They're beautiful.” _Thank you my Clara._

_No, thank you._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading this. I ended it here as I plan to start a new story of random chapters as they all grow up etc. I wanted to do that on my own time so it's not going to be as timely as this or any other story has been. I do have a few other stories plotted out that I will eventually be posting but once again I'm going to be doing it probably later as my focus has been on other hobbies as of late.


End file.
